Lutjanus ehrenbergii


Ehrenberg's snapper LWE
Characteristic features:
Colour:

4 or 5 narrow yellow stripes on sides, large round black spot below posterior dorsal fin over lateral line.

Size:

Up to 35 cm TL.

Distribution:

Indo West Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Coral reefs, often near fresh water run-offs, from 1 to 20 m depth.

Biology:

Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans when juvenile, and predominantly crustaceans when adult.1 Often forms large schools. Females attain a larger size than males. In the waters of the Arabian Gulf first maturity is reached at a size of 20.4 and 19.9 cm FL for females and males respectively, corresponding to 1.8 and 1.7 years for females and males, respectively.2 In the Arabian Gulf, Ehrenberg’s snapper has a single spawning season occurring between March and June. Estimated maximum age is 12 years.2

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught mainly with handlines, traps and gill nets.

Similar species:

Lutjanus fulviflamma
Blackspot snapper

Lutjanus fulviflamma

Lutjanus fulviflamma differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal); 6 or 7 yellow stripes on side (vs. 5 yellow narrow stripes below lateral line) and an oval black spot below posterior dorsal fin (vs. round black spot below middle of first dorsal fin).

Lutjanus lutjanus
Bigeye snapper

Lutjanus lutjanus

Lutjanus lutjanus differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal); yellow or yellow-brown stripes above and below lateral line (one at eye level twice as wide as others) (vs. 5 yellow narrow stripes below lateral line) and no black spot below posterior dorsal fin (vs. a round black spot below middle of dorsal fin).

Lutjanus rufolineatus
Goldenlined snapper

Lutjanus rufolineatus

Lutjanus rufolineatus differs in having longitudinal scale rows above lateral line obliquely positioned (vs. mostly horizontal); yellow or yellow-brown stripes above and below lateral line, one at eye level slightly wider than others (vs. 5 yellow narrow stripes below lateral line) and no black spot (vs. a round black spot below middle of dorsal fin).

Lutjanus xanthopinnis
Yellowfin snapper

Lutjanus xanthopinnis

Lutjanus xanthopinnis differs in having yellow/brown stripes above and below lateral line (vs. narrow yellow stripes below lateral line only) and no black spot below dorsal-fin soft rays (vs. frequently a black spot).

External links:
References:
  1. Berkström C, Jörgensen TL, Hellström M. Ecological connectivity and niche differentiation between two closely related fish species in the mangrove-seagrass-coral reef continuum. Marine Ecology Progress Series [Internet]. 2013;477:201–15. Available from: https//:doi.org/10.3354/meps10171
  2. Grandcourt E, Al Abdessalaam T, Francis F, Al Shamsi A. Demographic parameters and status assessments of Lutjanus ehrenbergiiLethrinus lentjanPlectorhinchus sordidus and Rhabdosargus sarba in the southern Arabian Gulf. Journal of Applied Ichthyology [Internet]. 2011;27(5):1203–11. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2011.01776.x