Grunts & Snappers
Schoolmaster
Lutjanus apodus
Species Overview
Snapper with a long pointed snout, large mouth and one pair of enlarged upper canines; olive-gray to brownish body with about eight narrow pale vertical bars (faint or absent in large adults) and a blue line under the eye that may fade with growth; pectoral fins reach the anus; dorsal X,14, anal III,8.
- Size
- Commonly 25–45 cm (10–18 in) per ReefGuide; common length 35 cm TL (14 in); maximum 79.1 cm FL (31 in); max weight 10.8 kg; max age 42 years.
- Depth range
- 3–25 m (ReefGuide); 2–63 m (FishBase).
- Habitat
- Shallow, clear coastal waters over coral reefs, often near elkhorn coral and gorgonians; juveniles in seagrass, sand, mangroves and lagoons.
- Diet
- Fishes, shrimps, crabs, worms, gastropods and cephalopods (trophic level about 4.3).
- Range
- Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Bermuda and Brazil; western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Trinidad and northern Brazil.
Life stages
Juvenile (ReefGuide photo label); juveniles live over sand or seagrass, in muddy lagoons and mangroves, sometimes entering brackish water.
Explore reef conservation
Learn about Caribbean reef habitats, invasive lionfish and the work of the Caribbean Reef Fish Foundation.
TL means total length; SL excludes the tail fin; FL measures to the tail fork. These measurements are not interchangeable.