Emperor red snapper (Lutjanus sebae) is a saltwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong. It is mainly found over reef, coral, rocky, sand, mangrove, at depths of 5–180 m. The main season in Hong Kong runs all year.
Scientific name: Lutjanus sebae · Water: Saltwater, Brackish · Season: All year
Size: up to 116 cm
The Emperor red snapper is a lutjanid that carries a Cantonese name of its own in Hong Kong and the emperor snapper name in Taiwan. Its range is the Indo-West Pacific, from the southern Red Sea and East Africa to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan and south to Australia. Adults live near coral and rocky reefs, often over adjacent sand flats and gravel patches, and are trawled in deeper water on flatter bottoms; juveniles frequent shallow, turbid nearshore water and mangroves, and are often commensal with sea urchins. It is solitary and feeds on fish, shrimps, crabs and cephalopods. Available all year between 5 and 180 m, it grows to about 116 cm and lives up to 40 years, and IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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