Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Lutjaninae

Lutjaninae

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CAAB: 37346000

Family LUTJANIDAE

Fusilers, Hussars, Snappers, Tropical Snappers


Compiler and date details

7 November 2011 - Gerald R. Allen, Norbert J. Cross, Connie J. Allen, Douglass F. Hoese & Matthew M. Lockett

December 2006 - Gerald R. Allen, Norbert J. Cross, Connie J. Allen & Douglass F. Hoese

Introduction

Lutjanids are found in all the tropical and subtropical seas. Worldwide, the family comprises 123 species in 21 genera. A total of 66 species in 15 genera are known from Australia. Parapristipomoides squamimaxillaris (Kami, 1973) has been recorded from the Chesterfield Bank in the Coral Sea and may occur within the Australian Region.

Nelson (1994) recognised five subfamilies, but these divisions are not used here. Most species belong in the Lutjaninae (snappers or seabream), and the Caesioninae (fusiliers); the Caesioninae are often recognised as a separate family (Nelson 2006). The snappers were reviewed by Allen (1985) and the fusiliers by Carpenter (1987, 1988). The 39 species of Lutjanus that inhabit the Indo-west Pacific were reviewed by Allen & Talbot (1985). Australian species are treated in Anderson & Allen (2001) and Carpenter (2001). Relationships were discussed by Johnson (1980).

Members of the Lutjanidae are generalised percoid fishes with a robust, relatively elongate body, single dorsal fin (frequently containing 10 or 11 spines), and the jaws usually contain well-developed canine teeth. The maximum length is about 1 m (Lutjanus sebae), but most species are under 50 cm (60 cm for fusiliers). Lutjanids are important food fishes and are often seen in markets.

Fusiliers (Caesioninae) are closely related to snappers (Lutjaninae) with which they share a number of similarities. However, fusiliers have a distinctive jaw morphology: the upper jaw is highly protrusible, an adaptation for a planktonic diet. In addition, they are generally more slender than most snappers, and the tail is strongly forked.

Fusiliers are restricted to warm seas of the Indo-west Pacific region where they frequently form large colourful schools, swimming in midwater above the reef. Most species are associated with coral reefs, although members of the genera Etelis, Lipocheilus, Paracaesio, Pristipomoides and Randallichthys are associated with continental shelf waters to depths as great as 500 m. Some species are solitary in habit, whereas others form large aggregations. Their diet includes a variety of items. The reef-dwelling species feed mainly on small fishes, but other items such as crabs, shrimps, gastropods and cephalopods are also consumed. Zooplankton is particularly important in the diet of species of Pinjalo, Paracaesio and Pristipomoides.

 

General References

Allen, G.R. 1985. FAO Species Catalogue. Snappers of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lutjanid species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 6. Rome : FAO 208 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Talbot, F.H. 1985. Review of the snappers of the genus Lutjanus (Pisces: Lutjanidae) from the Indo-Pacific, with the description of a new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 11: 1-87

Anderson, W.D. & Allen, G.R. 2001. Lutjanidae. pp. 2840-2918 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Carpenter, K.E. 1987. Revision of the Indo-Pacific fish family Caesionidae (Lutjanoidea), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 15: 1-56 figs 1-10 pls 1-7

Carpenter, K.E. 1988. FAO Species Catalogue. Fusilier fishes of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of caesionid species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 8. Rome : FAO 75 pp.

Carpenter, K.E. 2001. Caesionidae. pp. 2919-2941 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. 2006. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1192]

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Checklist of the fishes of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 63: 9-50

Johnson, G.D. 1980. The limits and relationships of the Lutjanidae and associated families. Bulletin of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography 24: 1-114 figs 1-37

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
18-Dec-2012 18-Dec-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)