Dog Snapper-Pawleys Island, South Carolina

I had to have this individual confirmed by a friend with the North Carolina DNR before I decided on it's ID, due to the fact that I caught it in a part of the Atlantic where it's rarely seen. At first I thought it was just a strange colored Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus griseus), but I'm so glad I was wrong!

comments (2)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Nice discovery! And how beautiful they are at the individual level. Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago

Christine Young

Lion

From today's Facebook post:

The dog snapper (Lutjanus jocu) is also known as the dogtooth snapper, jocu, pargue, and the snuggletooth snapper (my favorite). It’s a commercially important species native to the Atlantic Ocean. Dog snappers can be found near rocky outcrops and reefs where they feast upon crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. With their bronze hue, the light blue line beneath their eye, and their large canine teeth, there’s no doubt that these fish are quirky and beautiful.

They tend to be loners, until mating season, of course, when they gleefully gather together en masse to reproduce at spawning sites. They return to the same sites each year, even if they have to travel a great distance to get there. This predictability makes them vulnerable to over-harvesting by humans, who know exactly when and where the fish will gather. Nothing puts a damper on a fish orgy like overeager fishermen. Protection of spawning grounds and sustainable harvesting seems to be the approach that will hopefully preserve this species, in addition to others in a similar predicament. {Spotted in South Carolina, USA by JungleDragon user, Zach Alley} #JungleDragon #dogsnapper #Lutjanusjocu Posted 5 years ago