Yellowfin snapper (Lutjanus xanthopinnis)

Image source: Mark Rosenstein | inaturalist.org

General data

Main name: Yellowfin snapper
Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
Habitat: Saltwater
Native: Asia, Australia & Oceania
Distribution: Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea, Indian ocean, Pacific Ocean

Classification

Description

Yellowfin snapper (Lutjanus xanthopinnis) is a striking Indo-Pacific snapper recognized for its vivid yellow fins and fine horizontal striping along the body. The species name xanthopinnis means “yellow-finned,” referring to its most distinctive feature.

Description. The Yellowfin snapper has a slender to moderately deep, laterally compressed body, with body depth 2.7–2.9 times in standard length (SL). The head is relatively small with a pointed snout and an almost straight snout–forehead profile. Meristic characters include: dorsal-fin rays X,13; anal-fin rays III,8; pectoral-fin rays usually 16–17; lateral-line scales 48–50; and 22–23 gill rakers (including rudiments) on the first arch.

The mouth bears strong canine teeth, including a pair of dagger-like canines at the front of the upper jaw. Vomerine teeth form a diamond-shaped patch with a posterior extension. The dorsal fin is moderately incised, with the fourth or fifth spine longest. Pectoral fins are pointed, and the caudal fin is slightly emarginate.

In life, the upper body is reddish to pinkish or silvery-gray, fading to a whitish abdomen. A series of narrow yellow horizontal stripes (one per scale row) runs along the lower sides below the lateral line, with similar oblique yellow lines above it. The dorsal, anal, caudal, and pectoral fins are bright yellow, while the pelvic fins are whitish with a yellow tinge. The iris is reddish to golden. Juveniles are similar but have a broader mid-lateral stripe. In preservative, the body becomes yellowish-tan with faint brown striping.

Distribution. Yellowfin snapper is widely distributed in the western Pacific Ocean and extends into the eastern Indian Ocean. Its range includes southern Japan, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, western Indonesia (from the Malay Peninsula to Bali), the Andaman Sea off western Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Many earlier Pacific records attributed to Lutjanus madras are now recognized as L. xanthopinnis. In parts of Sri Lanka, it occurs sympatrically with true Lutjanus madras. Recent records from Japan and northeastern Taiwan may reflect a northward range expansion associated with rising sea temperatures.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Actinistia - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
    
    Percidae - Perches->
    
    Pomatomidae - Bluefishes->
    
    Serranidae - Sea basses->
    
    Pomacentridae - Damsel and clownfishes->
    
    Latidae - Lates perches->
    
    Centropomidae - Snooks->
    
    Lutjanidae - Snappers->
    
    Lutjanus - Snappers->
    
    Northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)
    
    Yellowtail snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergi)
    
    Mangrove snapper (Lutjanus griseus)
    
    Cubera snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus)
    
    Lane snapper (Lutjanus synagris)
    
    Dog snapper (Lutjanus jocu)
    
    Mahogany snapper (Lutjanus mahagoni)
    
    Two-spot red snapper (Lutjanus bohar)
    
    Schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus)
    
    Emperor red snapper (Lutjanus sebae)
    
    Blacktail snapper (Lutjanus fulvus)
    
    Russell's snapper (Lutjanus russellii)
    
    Humpback red snapper (Lutjanus gibbus)
    
    Blubberlip snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus)
    
    Common bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)
    
    Mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis)
    
    Two-spot banded snapper (Lutjanus biguttatus)
    
    Gorean snapper (Lutjanus goreensis)
    
    Brownstripe red snapper (Lutjanus vitta)
    
    One-spot snapper (Lutjanus monostigma)
    
    Pacific dog snapper (Lutjanus novemfasciatus)
    
    Yellow-banded snapper (Lutjanus adetii)
    
    Brazilian snapper (Lutjanus alexandrei)
    
    Dory snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma)
    
    African brown snapper (Lutjanus dentatus)
    
    Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii)
    
    African red snapper (Lutjanus agennes)
    
    Ambiguous snapper (Lutjanus ambiguus)
    
    Mullet snapper (Lutjanus aratus)
    
    Mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus)
    
    Yellow snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris)
    
    Bengal snapper (Lutjanus bengalensis)
    
    Indonesian snapper (Lutjanus bitaeniatus)
    
    Moluccan snapper (Lutjanus boutton)
    
    Blackfin snapper (Lutjanus buccanella)
    
    Spanish flag snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus)
    
    Blueline snapper (Lutjanus coeruleolineatus)
    
    Colorado snapper (Lutjanus colorado)
    
    Checkered snapper (Lutjanus decussatus)
    
    Sunbeam snapper (Lutjanus dodecacanthoides)
    
    Guinea snapper (Lutjanus endecacanthus)
    
    Crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus)
    
    Golden African snapper (Lutjanus fulgens)
    
    Freshwater snapper (Lutjanus fuscescens)
    
    Papuan black snapper (Lutjanus goldiei)
    
    Yellowfin red snapper (Lutjanus guilcheri)
    
    Spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus)
    
    Lutjanus indicus (Lutjanus indicus)
    
    Golden snapper (Lutjanus inermis)
    
    John’s snapper (Lutjanus johnii)
    
    Jordan’s snapper (Lutjanus jordani)
    
    Yellowstreaked snapper (Lutjanus lemniscatus)
    
    Lunartail snapper (Lutjanus lunulatus)
    
    Bigeye snapper (Lutjanus lutjanus)
    
    Indian snapper (Lutjanus madras)
    
    Mahogany snapper (Lutjanus mahogoni)
    
    Malabar blood snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus)
    
    Pygmy snapper (Lutjanus maxweberi)
    
    Samoan snapper (Lutjanus mizenkoi)
    
    Bluestriped snapper (Lutjanus notatus)
    
    Whitebelly snapper (Lutjanus octolineatus)
    
    Spotstripe snapper (Lutjanus ophuysenii)
    
    Papuan snapper (Lutjanus papuensis)
    
    Pacific red snapper (Lutjanus peru)
    
    Southern red snapper (Lutjanus purpureus)
    
    Five-lined snapper (Lutjanus quinquelineatus)
    
    Yellow-lined snapper (Lutjanus rufolineatus)
    
    Humphead snapper (Lutjanus sanguineus)
    
    Arabian blue-striped snapper (Lutjanus sapphirolineatus)
    
    Black-banded snapper (Lutjanus semicinctus)
    
    Star snapper (Lutjanus stellatus)
    
    Timor snapper (Lutjanus timoriensis)
    
    Blue and gold snapper (Lutjanus viridis)
    
    Silk snapper (Lutjanus vivanus)
    
    Yellowfin snapper (Lutjanus xanthopinnis)
    
    Ocyurus - Snappers->
    
    Symphorichthys - Symphorichthys->
    
    Macolor - Macolor->
    
    Hoplopagrus - Hoplopagrus->
    
    Aphareus - Aphareus->
    
    Aprion - Aprion->
    
    Apsilus - Apsilus->
    
    Etelis - Etelis->
    
    Lipocheilus - Lipocheilus->
    
    Paracaesio - Paracaesio->
    
    Parapristipomoides - Parapristipomoides->
    
    Pinjalo - Pinjalo->
    
    Pristipomoides - Pristipomoides->
    
    Randallichthys - Randallichthys->
    
    Rhomboplites - Rhomboplites->
    
    Symphorus - Symphorus->
    
    Haemulidae - Grunts->
    
    Artedidraconidae - Barbled plunderfishes->
    
    Embiotocidae - Surfperches->
    
    Glaucosomatidae - Pearl perches->
    
    Malacanthidae - Tilefishes->
    
    Polynemidae - Threadfin->
    
    Gerreidae - Mojarras->
    
    Priacanthidae - Bigeyes->
    
    Monodactylidae - Moonyfishes->
    
    Centrogenyidae - False scorpionfishes->
    
    Epinephelidae - Groupers->
    
    Cebidichthyidae - Cebidichthyidae->
    
    Anthiadidae - Anthiadidae->
    
    Ambassidae - Asiatic glassfishes->
    
    Bathydraconidae - Antarctic dragonfishes->
    
    Bembropidae - Duckbill flatheads->
    
    Bovichtidae - Thornfishes->
    
    Caesionidae - Fusiliers->
    
    Caesioscorpididae - Blowhole perches->
    
    Centracanthidae - Picarels->
    
    Cepolidae - Bandfishes->
    
    Channichthyidae - Crocodile icefishes->
    
    Congrogadidae - Eelblennies->
    
    Datnioididae - Freshwater tripletails->
    
    Dinopercidae - Cavebasses->
    
    Eleginopidae - Patagonian blennies->
    
    Grammatidae - Basslets->
    
    Grammistidae - Soapfishes->
    
    Hapalogenyidae - Barbeled grunters->
    
    Harpagiferidae - Spiny plunderfishes->
    
    Lactariidae - False trevallies->
    
    Latilidae - Deepwater tilefishes->
    
    Leptobramidae - Beachsalmon->
    
    Liopropomatidae - Painted basslets->
    
    Niphonidae - Ara groupers->
    
    Nototheniidae - Cod icefishes->
    
    Opistognathidae - Jawfishes->
    
    Oxylebiinae - Painted greenlings->
    
    Plesiopidae - Roundheads->
    
    Pseudaphritidae - Catadromous icefishes->
    
    Pseudochromidae - Dottybacks->
    
    Ptereleotridae - Dartfishes->
    
    Toxotidae - Archerfishes->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipnoi - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons and Paddlefishes->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->

Yellowfin snapper (Lutjanus xanthopinnis)

General data

Classification

Description

Taxonomy of Fishes

Tag Your Catch and Win a Twin Power!

Post your catch and get a chance to win the Shimano Twin Power XD 4000 PG!

Tag Your Catch and
Win a Twin Power!