Scientific Name
Sphyraena obtusata

Common Name
Obtuse barracuda

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 9. Body elongate and subcylindrical with small cycloid scales; head long and pointed. Mouth large and horizontal, the tip of the lower jaw protruding; intermaxilla non-protractile. Preoperculum rectangular, with wide naked skin flap. First dorsal fin origin slightly before the pectoral fin tip, the first spine equal to the second. Pelvic fins well before the tip of the pectoral, closer to the anal than the tip of the lower jaw. Color is generally green above and silvery below.

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1829

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Barracudas (Sphyraenidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Lord Howe Island. Migrated to eastern Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal (Ref. 5385). The exact range is uncertain because of confusion of this species with Sphyraena flavicauda (Ref. 9768).

Range

30°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

120 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 20 - 120 m (Ref. 12260)

Trophic Level

4.49 s.e. 0.79 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

55.0 cm

Common Length

30.0 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

Low to moderate vulnerability (28 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.5-0.9)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated