About Ocyurus chrysurus (Bloch, 1791)
Ocyurus chrysurus, commonly called yellowtail snapper, has a distinct yellow lateral band that starts at the snout and widens toward its completely yellow, forked tail. The rest of the body is an olive to bluish black color, with yellow spots located above the lateral band. The dorsal fin is yellow, while the anal and pelvic fins are whitish. This species has one dorsal fin and one anal fin, both of which are partially supported by bony spines. The dorsal fin contains ten spines and between twelve and fourteen soft rays, and the anal fin contains three spines and eight or nine soft rays. Scales cover the bases of the soft portions of both the dorsal and anal fins. The pectoral fin is long, with its tip reaching the level of the vent. Unlike other snapper species, Ocyurus chrysurus has a small head and small mouth, and it lacks a dark lateral spot below its dorsal fin. Like other snappers, O. chrysurus has canine teeth in the upper jaw, though most teeth in both the upper and lower jaws are villiform. A unique identifying feature of this species is the presence of teeth on its ectopterygoid bones. Yellowtail snapper are native to the Western Atlantic Ocean. Their range extends as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as southeastern Brazil, but the species is most common in the Bahamas, off the coast of south Florida, and throughout the Caribbean. Large predatory fishes including barracuda, mackerel, grouper, sharks, and even other snapper species are natural predators of adult yellowtail snapper. Yellowtail snapper feed on shrimp, crabs, worms, and smaller fish. They spawn in groups off the edges of reefs from spring through fall, with the heaviest spawning occurring in midsummer.
