kids encyclopedia robot

Dog snapper facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Dog snapper
Lutjanus jocu SI3.jpg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Lutjanidae
Genus:
Lutjanus
Species:
L. jocu
Binomial name
Lutjanus jocu
(Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801)
Lutjanus jocu range.png
Synonyms
  • Anthias jocu Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
  • Mesoprion litura G. Cuvier, 1828

The dog snapper (Lutjanus jocu) is a species of snapper native to the Atlantic Ocean. It is a commercially important species, and is popular for display in public aquaria. It is also known as the dogtooth snapper, pargue, or snuggletooth snapper.

Description

Its color is typically brown with a bronze tinge, lighter on the sides. In adults, a pale triangle and a light-blue, interrupted line are found just below the eye. This species can reach a length of 128 cm (50 in), though most do not exceed 60 cm (24 in). The greatest known weight for this species is 28.6 kg (63 lb).

Distribution

Dog snapper are found from Massachusetts to Brazil in the western Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and from Saint Paul's Rocks south to Principe in the eastern Atlantic.

Habitat and behavior

Adults are generally found around rocky outcrops or coral reefs, while juveniles tend to remain primarily within estuaries and occasionally within rivers. Solitary and wary of others, they prefer secluded areas. They are primarily nocturnal feeders, preying upon small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. This species spawns from spring to fall in the waters around Jamaica and the northeast Caribbean.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jocú para niños

kids search engine
Dog snapper Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.