Humpback red snapper (Lutjanus gibbus) is a saltwater species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 1–150 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia runs all year.
Scientific name: Lutjanus gibbus · Water: Saltwater · Season: All year
Size: up to 56.8 cm
Adult humpback red snapper gather on coral reefs, where they hang almost motionless in large daytime aggregations; juveniles use seagrass beds and the mixed sand-and-coral shallows of sheltered reefs. The diet is broad: fishes, shrimps, crabs, lobsters, mantis shrimps, cephalopods and echinoderms. Commonly about 45 cm and up to 56.8 cm, living 24 years and maturing at about 21.5 cm. Taken mainly by handline, traps and gill nets and mostly sold fresh - a fairly valuable fish, with ciguatera recorded particularly around the Pacific islands.
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.
Back to home · Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia · Species library