| Family: |
Sphyraenidae (Barracudas) |
| Max. size: |
55 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 5 - 200 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Victoria, Australia. Migrated to eastern Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal (Ref. 5385). The exact range is uncertain because of confusion of this species with Sphyraena flavicauda (Ref. 9768). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 9-9. Body elongate and subcylindrical with small cycloid scales; head long and pointed. Mouth large and horizontal, the tip of the lower jaw protruding; intermaxilla non-protractile. Preoperculum rectangular, with wide naked skin flap. First dorsal fin origin slightly before the pectoral fin tip, the first spine equal to the second. Pelvic fins well before the tip of the pectoral, closer to the anal than the tip of the lower jaw. Color is generally green above and silvery below.
Description: Characterized further by having ;large eye; erect teeth; gill rakers 2; depth of body 5.5-7.5 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits bays and estuaries (Ref. 9768). Found in schools in seagrass beds and rocky reefs (Ref. 9563). Feeds mainly on fishes. Exhibits diurnal behavior. Also caught with set nets (Ref. 9768). Sold fresh, frozen or dried salted in markets. From 15-120m in Ref. 012260. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 August 2023 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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