Red Snapper
(Lutjanus campechanu)

It seems strange that any fish as well known as the red snapper  would be involved with problems of identification. There are two "red snappers," one from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and the Southern Red Snapper, taken only from the Caribbean. The two are extremely similar, and some biologists consider them separate races of the same species.

Red snapper are common to about 34cm, but probably don't reach a full meter. The young are scattered throughout coastal areas over muddy sand bottom.

They are attracted to ledges, lumps, rocks, wrecks and most anything else sticking up from the bottom.