Humpback red snapper
📖 Overview
Adults mainly inhabit coral reefs, sometimes forming large aggregations, which are mostly stationary during the day. Juveniles occur in seagrass beds, also in mixed sand and coral habitats of shallow sheltered reefs . Sub-adults commonly form very large schools that are stationary or drift slowly along slopes during the day. Large individuals along coastal slopes at moderate depths . Benthopelagic . Feed on fishes, and a variety of invertebrates including shrimps, crabs, lobsters, stomatopods, cephalopods, echinoderms and ophiuroids . Caught mainly with handlines, traps, and gill nets. Commonly sold fresh. Sometimes causes ciguatera poisoning, particularly around the Pacific islands .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep; greatest depth 2.2-2.5 in SL; preopercular notch and knob well developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension; gill rakers of first gill arch 9-10 + 115-20 = 25-30 (including rudiments); caudal fin distinctly forked with rounded lobes. Colour red to greyish, an orange hue on lower part of opercle and in pectoral fin axil; fins red (pectoral fins) or usually dark brown to blackish; soft part of dorsal fin, anal and caudal fins with a narrow white margin; juveniles with a large round black spot at base of caudal fin . : fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Humpback red snapper is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Off East Africa spawning occurs mainly during spring and summer.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 150 m . Tropical; 35°N - 33°S, 31°E - 134°W East Africa to the Line and Society islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia.
🌿 Ecology
fishes, and a variety of invertebrates including shrimps, crabs, lobsters, stomatopods, cephalopods,
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Humpback red snapper is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18.6 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 148 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Humpback red snapper has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (lean white fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Humpback Red Snapper · Humpbacked Red Snapper · Humphead Snapper · Hunched Snapper · Paddle Tail Snapper · Paddle-tail · Paddle-tail Sea-perch · Paddle-tail Snapper · Paddletail · Paddletail Snapper, Humpback red snapper · Red Snapper · Snapper · humpback snapper · Humpback Redsnapper |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Hamrah |
| 🌍CES | chňapal klenutý |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Rød pukkelsnapper |
| 🇩🇪German | Buckel-Schnapper |
| 🇫🇷French | Bord de Mare · Lutjan Bossu · Lutjan bossu, Queue en pagaie · Lutjan queue en pagaie · Parai · Perche Pagaie · Perche pagaie, Parai · Queue en Pagaie · Vivaneau Têtu · Vivaneau pagaie · Vivaneau-pagaie |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Lutianide rosso gobbo |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Himefuedai · ヒメフエダイ |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Rode bultrugsnapper |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Lucjan trujacy |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Caranha-jubarte |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Горбатый луциан · Кочинский луциан |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Pargo Jorobado · Pargo jorobado rojo |
| 🌍TAH | taea (Iles Sous le Vent), tufara, tuhara |
| 🌍THA | ปลากะพงแดงหางมน |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 海豚哥 · 紅雞仔 · 紅雞魚 · 紅魚仔 · 隆背笛鯛 · 隆背笛鲷 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthias heraldi | Schultz | 1953 | Synonym |
| Diacope axillaris | Valenciennes | 1830 | Synonym |
| Diacope borensis | Cuvier | 1828 | Synonym |
| Diacope coccinea | Cuvier | 1828 | Synonym |
| Diacope lineata | Quoy & Gaimard | 1824 | Synonym |
| Diacope melanura | Rüppell | 1838 | Synonym |
| Diacope rosea | Valenciennes | 1830 | Synonym |
| Diacope striata | Cuvier | 1828 | Synonym |
| Diacope tiea | Lesson | 1831 | Synonym |
| Genyoroge bidens | Macleay | 1882 | Synonym |
| Lutianus gibbus | Forsskål | 1775 | Synonym |
| Lutianus tahitiensis | Seale | 1906 | Synonym |
| Lutjanus coccineus | Cuvier | 1828 | Synonym |
| Lutjanus comoriensis | Fourmanoir | 1957 | Synonym |
| Mesoprion janthinurus | Bleeker | 1854 | Synonym |
| Sciaena gibba | Forsskål | 1775 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 29 records indexed .
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