Details
Ocyurus chrysurus
A slender reef snapper of the western Atlantic, recognized by its bright yellow tail and yellow stripe along the side.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Lives around Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and northern Brazil on coral reefs, rocky reefs, and sandy reef edges.
The body is silvery to bluish, with a yellow band running toward the tail. The deeply forked tail is vivid yellow.
It often schools over reef tops and edges by day and feeds more actively at night, especially in areas with good water flow.
It eats small fish, shrimp, crabs, and planktonic animals, taking both drifting prey and small bottom-dwelling animals.
Spawning occurs in warm seasons near outer reefs and current-swept areas. Eggs and larvae drift in the plankton.
Yellowtail snapper is an important food fish around the Caribbean, and its colors stand out in clear reef water.
