| Family: |
Sphyraenidae (Barracudas) |
| Max. size: |
150 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 12 kg |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 20 - 200 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea (Ref. 12541) south to the southeastern coast of South Africa and east to New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Recently reported from Tonga (Ref. 53797). Due to a widespread confusion with Sphyraena putnamae and Sphyraena qenie, the exact range is uncertain. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Body with dark bars crossing lateral line, each bar oblique in upper half, but nearly vertical in lower half; caudal fin largely yellowish.
Description: Characterized further by having rounded corner of preopercle, without projecting flap; erect teeth; maxilla reaching below anterior edge of eye; moderate size of eye; origin of first dorsal fin slightly behind origin of pelvic fins; deeply forked caudal fin without inner lobes; lateral line scales 139-140; absence of gill rakers (rough platelets on lower limb of first arch, no spinules); depth of body 7.9-8.9 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Found near prominent current-swept lagoon or seaward reefs (Ref. 9710); also in bays, estuaries and turbid inner lagoons (Ref. 9768). Diurnal and solitary, although the young form schools. Feeds mainly on fishes but also takes squid. Sold fresh, frozen or dried salted. Reports of ciguatera poisoning need confirmation. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning |
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