Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 87 m (Ref. 7251). Tropical; 30°N - 33°S, 91°W - 34°W
Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and the northeastern Gulf of Mexico to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; throughout the West Indies (Ref. 3815).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 46.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 28.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3815); max. published weight: 1.0 kg (Ref. 5217)
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10. Silvery, the scales with iridescent reflections; usually a faint longitudinal banding on a body; a blue-gray line under eye present or absent; no other blue markings; no orange or yellow at corner of mouth; small black spot at upper base of pectoral fins (Ref. 13442).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Found in clear reef areas over soft or semi-hard bottoms. Juveniles are encountered in seagrass (Thalassia) beds (Ref. 9626). Marketed fresh and frozen.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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