Lutjanus argentimaculatus

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Body without stripes or spots, greenish brown to reddish.

Size:

Up to 120 cm TL.

Distribution:

Indo-West Pacific, in tropical and subtropical waters.

FAO distribution map.

Habitat:

Estuaries to deep reefs, tolerating fresh, brackish and salt water. Found from the surface to at least 120 m depth.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on fish, but also crustaceans. Juveniles and young adults occur in estuarine areas such as mangroves and tidal creeks. Adults are found on reefs in small groups, and gradually move offshore to deeper reef areas. In the waters off Queensland, Australia, length at which 50% of individuals reach maturity was 51.2 cm Lower Caudal Fork (LCF) and 44.9 cm LCF for females and males, respectively.¹Length at first maturity of captive bred individuals was 57.0 and 49.6 for females and males, respectively, corresponding to an age of 4 years and 5 years, respectively. Spawning occurs offshore with season varying regionally. In the waters off Queensland, Australia, spawning occurs from October to March, peaking in December.² Mangrove jack are highly fecund, producing up to 4 million eggs per individual annually.³ Estimated maximum age is 39 years.

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught mainly with handlines, bottom longlines and trawls.

Similar species:

Lutjanus bohar
Red bass

Lutjanus bohar differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal, with some ascending obliquely); nostrils set in prominent groove (vs. groove absent) and vomerine tooth patch lacking medial posterior extension (vs. with medial posterior extension).

to Lutjanus bohar

Lutjanus erythropterus
Crimson snapper

Lutjanus erythropterus differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal, with some ascending obliquely); mouth relatively small (vs. large); a vomerine tooth patch lacking posterior extension (vs. with posterior extension) and head profile steep (vs. gently sloping).

to Lutjanus erythropterus

Lutjanus malabaricus
Malabar snapper

Lutjanus malabaricus differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal, with some ascending obliquely); preopercular notch indistinct (vs. poorly developed); vomerine tooth patch lacking medial posterior extension (vs. with medial posterior extension) and maxilla length subequal to distance between last dorsal- and anal-fin rays (vs. maxilla length less than distance between last dorsal- and anal-fin rays).

to Lutjanus malabaricus

Lutjanus sebae
Red emperor

Adult Lutjanus sebae differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal, with some ascending obliquely); and a vomerine tooth patch lacking posterior extension (vs. with posterior extension).

to Lutjanus sebae

Lutjanus argentimaculatus gallery

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM

References:

Emata AC, Damaso JP, Eullaran BE. Growth, maturity and induced spawning of mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, broodstock reared in concrete tanks. Israeli Journal of Aquaculture-Bamidgeh [Internet]. 1999;51(2):58–64. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10862/997
Russell D, McDougall A. Reproductive biology of mangrove jack Lutjanus argentimaculatus in northeastern Queensland, Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research [Internet]. 2008;42(2):219–32. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00288330809509950
Russell D, McDougall A, Fletcher A, Ovenden J, Street R. Biology, Management and Genetic Stock Structure of Mangrove Jack, Lutjanus argentimaculatus in Australia [Internet]. Department of Primary Industries, Queensland; 2003 p. 1–189. Available from: http://era.daf.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/3119/