Sphyraena barracuda (Edwards, 1771)

Great barracuda

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Actinopterygii \| Perciformes \| Sphyraenidae
Synonyms	Esox barracuda, Sphyraena becuna, Sphyraena commersonii, ... more
Common names	Barracuda, Picuda barracuda, Great barra cuda, ... more

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AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Daget, J. 1986. (Ref. 4339)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 140 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3692); max. published weight: 50.0 kg (Ref. 6949)

Length at first maturity

L_m 63.00, range 58 -

Environment

Reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 100 m (Ref. 6949), usually 3 - 30 m (Ref. 40849)

Climate / Range

Subtropical; 42°N - 35°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 55300)

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and east coast of Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts (USA), Bermuda, and throughout the Caribbean Sea to Brazil (Ref. 9626). Eastern Atlantic: Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Nigeria, Senegal (Ref. 6949), Mauritania (Ref. 5377), St. Paul's Rocks (Ref. 13121), and São Tomé Island (Ref. 34088).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 10. Distinguished by the double emarginate tail fin with pale tips on each lobe, and (usually) the presence of a few scattered black blotches on the lower sides (Ref. 1602). Top of head between eyes flat or concave; mouth large (Ref. 26938).

Found predominantly at or near the surface (Ref. 6949, 48637). Juvenile occurs among mangroves, estuaries and shallow sheltered inner reef areas; adult occurs in a wide range of habitats from murky inner harbors to open seas. Diurnal and solitary, but can also be found in small aggregations. Feeds on fishes, cephalopods and sometimes on shrimps (Ref. 9626, 48637). Sold fresh. Utilized also dried or salted (Ref. 9987). Although this species is ciguatoxic elsewhere throughout its range, it has not been reported to be poisonous in the eastern Atlantic (Ref. 6949, 48637). Rarely attacks humans, usually with one quick, fierce strike, which, although serious, is rarely fatal. The world's record on hook and line is a 5.5-ft. fish taken in the Bahamas that weighed 103 lbs. (Ref. 13442).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Not Evaluated	Traumatogenic (Ref. 4690)

Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment Abundance	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)

PD₅₀ = 0.5000

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.11; tm=2-4)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high vulnerability (79 of 100)	Medium

Entered by Luna, Susan M.

Modified by Ortañez, Auda Kareen

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