Mutton Snapper

The Mutton Snapper has a silver-gray body with reddish tones. It has fine blue lines and spots below the eye, and a prominent black spot just below the front of the dorsal fin. Its fins, including the pointed anal fin and tail, often have a reddish or yellowish hue. When at rest or feeding, it may also display faint, dark vertical bars on its body.

This Snapper is cautious and often found alone or in small groups on the reef or near sandy areas and seagrass beds. It feeds during both the day and night, searching for crabs, shrimp, snails, and other small bottom-dwelling creatures. Mutton Snappers migrate to form transient spawning aggregations, often timing spawning with lunar cycles. They release pelagic eggs that hatch into larvae, which then move toward shallow, protected areas. Their predictable spawning gatherings make them vulnerable to overfishing.