Sphyraena qenie Klunzinger, 1870
Blackfin barracuda
photo by Patzner, R.

Family:  Sphyraenidae (Barracudas)
Max. size:  170 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 7,140.0 g
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 100 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf (Ref.80050); Red Sea and East Africa to the central Indian Ocean and French Polynesia. Eastern Pacific: Mexico and Panama. The exact range is uncertain because of confusion with Sphyraena jello and Sphyraena putnamae (Ref. 9768).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Many dark bars crossing lateral line on body, each bar oblique in upper half, but nearly vertical in the lower; caudal fin largely blackish. No gill rakers on first arch; upper and lower gill arch with rough platelets, each platelet not bearing distinct spine. Description: Characterized further by silvery body color; black margin on caudal fin; forked caudal fin with distinct, inner lobe on each side of middle of fin; erect and close-set teeth; corner of preopercle lacking projecting membranous flap; maxilla reaching below or slightly beyond anterior edge of eye; moderate sized eye; first dorsal origin over rear base of pelvic fins; depth of body 6.0-7.9 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Found near current-swept lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Feeds on fishes (Ref. 89972). Usually seen in large semi-stationary schools during the day (Ref. 9768) which have a tendency to occupy the same site for months or even years at a time. Probably disperses at night to feed (Ref. 1602). Often hooked by trolling between dusk and dawn (Ref. 37816). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning
Country info:   
 


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