Also known as mangrove snapper, mango or black snapper.
- Dark brown or gray in color, with red-orange spots in bars along the sides
- Two large canine teeth near front of upper jaw
- Anchor-shaped vomerine tooth patch
- Dorsal fins with dark or reddish borders
- Young have dark stripe from snout, through eye, to upper edge of gill cover
Similar Species: Cubera snapper, L. cyanopterus (triangleshaped tooth patch and grow much larger than gray snapper); schoolmaster, L. apodus (yellow fins and faint white bars); and true black snapper, A. dentatus (rare in Florida; do not range north of the Florida Keys)
Size: Common to 24 inches (10 pounds)
Habitat & Range
Coastal waters near structure such as reefs, mangroves and seagrass.Β Juveniles may enter freshwater.
Life History
Spawn June through August.Β Feeds on crustaceans and small fish.
