Ornate Snapper, Pristipomoides argyrogrammicus (Valenciennes, 1831)
Ornate Jobfish
Click to enlarge image
© Bernard Yau
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Pristipomoides
- Species
- argyrogrammicus
- Family
- Lutjanidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 40 cm in length.
Introduction
The Ornate Snapper can be recognised by its distinctive colouration. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.
Identification
The Ornate Snapper can be recognised by its distinctive colouration. It is yellow above and silvery to pinkish below. There are bright blue spots and squiggles on the body. The upper part of the head is reddish and the dorsal and anal fins are yellowish.
Habitat
It usually occurs over rocky bottoms at depths between 70 m and 300 m.
Distribution
The Ornate Snapper is recorded from tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is known from off the central to north-western coast of Western Australia and from the northern Queensland coast south to the central coast of New South Wales.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Economic impacts
The Ornate Snapper is a good eating fish that is usually caught on hook and line.
References
- Allen, G.R. 1985. Snappers of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Lutjanid Species Known to Date. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 6. FAO. Rome. Pp. 208, Pl. I-XXVII.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
