Scientific Name
Lutjanus mahogoni

Common Name
Mahogany snapper

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Lower jaw projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; lower corner of preopercle greatly projecting and strongly serrated. Preorbital bone broad, maxilla extending nearly to mid-eye level. Preopercular notch and knob moderate. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Back and upper side gray to dark olive grading to silvery ventrally. Usually with a black spot, about eye size, on lateral line below the anterior soft dorsal-fin rays.

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1828

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snappers (Lutjanidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to northeastern Brazil (Ref. 57756), including the Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 9626). Common around the Caribbean.

Range

36°N - 9°N, 99°W - 59°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 100 m (Ref. 36484)

Trophic Level

4.36 s.e. 0.75 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

48.0 cm

Common Length

38.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (65 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=1)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated