12/25/2023 0 Comments Vermilion snapper![]() ![]() The Vermilion Snapper is a resident of all Mexican waters of Atlantic including the Gulf of Mexico, were they are more abundant in the northern portions, and the in the Caribbean. They are slow-growing reaching 12 to 18 inches in length in ten years and have lifespans of up to twenty years. They reproduce by releasing pelagic eggs to the ocean between April and September. Females are significantly larger than males. They feed predominantly on fish, shrimp, crabs, polychaete worms, other bottom-dwelling invertebrates, as well as cephalopods, and plankton. They are non-migratory and often swim in large schools that include Atlantic Red Snappers. As of March 31, 2022, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 3.26 kg (7 lbs 3 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Mobile, Alabama in May 1987. They reach a maximum of 60 cm (2 feet 0 inches) in length and 3.3 kg (7 lbs 4 oz) in weight however, fish measuring 30 cm (12 inches) and weighing less than 450 g (1 lb) are the normal catch. The Vermilion Snapper is found in large schools throughout the Gulf of Mexico close to the continental shelf suspended over underwater structures such as reefs, shipwrecks, and oil rigs, and over sand and gravel bottoms at depths between 180 m (600 feet) and 300 m (1,000 feet). Their anal fin has 3 spines and 8 rays their caudal fin is deeply forked with pointed tips their dorsal fin has 12 or 13 spines and 10 or 11 rays and their pectoral fins are short, not reaching the anus. They lack large canine teeth and are one of the few red colored snappers that lack a dark lateral spot. They have a small head, a small mouth, a short snout, and a projecting lower jaw the orientation of their mouth and eyes gives the appearance that they are looking upward. Their anal fin is rounded and a pinkish red their caudal fin is red with a black edge their dorsal fin is red with a yellow edge and their pectoral fins are red and short. They have a series of short irregular diagonal blue lines on their sides above the lateral line formed by spots on their scales and sometimes have yellow streaks below their lateral line. The Vermilion Snapper has a streamlined body with a vivid red color that transitions to pink then to whitish ventrally. Globally, there is only one species in the genus Rhomboplites, this species which is found in Mexican waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Vermilion Snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, is a member of the Snapper or Lutjanidae Family, and is known in Mexico as besugo. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (). Fish caught from coastal waters off Galveston, Texas, October 2013. Vermilion Snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Fish caught from waters of the Florida Middle Grounds in the Gulf of Mexico, March 2016. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, San Diego, California. Fish caught from coastal waters off Deerfield Beach, Florida, December 2020. ![]() Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon. Fish caught from coastal waters off Deerfield Beach, Florida, August 2021. Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Sebastian, Florida. Fish caught from coastal waters off Sebastian, Florida, November 2021. Vermilion Snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens ![]()
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