Details
Sphyraena barracuda
The great barracuda is a long, sharp-toothed predator of reefs and open coastal water. Active across day and night, it strikes fish with sudden speed.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occurs around coral reefs, lagoons, reef edges, and clear coastal waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Rocky or coral structure is often nearby.
Length is about 60-200 cm and weight about 2.5-50 kg. A silver, torpedo-shaped body, projecting lower jaw, and rows of sharp teeth are diagnostic.
Young fish may school, while large adults often travel alone or loosely spaced. A barracuda may hover almost motionless before making a rapid dash.
It is carnivorous, feeding mainly on fish. Its slender body and acceleration allow direct rushes, and the teeth grip prey before swallowing.
Spawning occurs in warm seas, with eggs and larvae drifting in the water column. Growing juveniles move into coastal and reef feeding areas.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. Large individuals are conspicuous reef predators, though their danger to people is often overstated.
