Black snapper (Apsilus dentatus)

Scientific name: Apsilus dentatus Guichenot, 1853

The Black snapper (Apsilus dentatus) is a marine fish of the family Lutjanidae.

Biology

Inhabits mainly rocky bottoms. Young sometimes found near the surface. Feeds on fishes and benthic organisms, including cephalopods and tunicates. Flesh of good quality; marketed fresh and frozen.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Apsilus dentatus
Family: Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 65.0
Common length: 40.0
Depth range: 100–300 m (328–984 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 100 - 300 m, usually 120 - 180 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Western Central Atlantic: West Indies, Florida Keys, western Gulf of Mexico, western Caribbean (off Belize), probably more widespread in Caribbean (Anderson, pers. comm.).
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.3)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026