PORT PHILLIP BAY


Snapper 

Chrysophrys auratus (Forster, 1801)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: XII, 9-10
Anal fin spines/rays: III, 8-9
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 15-16
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 52-59

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Mostly coastal fishes with rather deep compressed bodies, a small mouth broadly separated from the eye, a single long-based dorsal fin with strong spines and soft rays, long pointed pectoral fins and rather large, firmly attached scales. Jaws with two forms of teeth, canines or incisors at the front and rounded or flattened molars in the rear.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Sparidae
Genus:
Chrysophrys
Species:
auratus

General Description

Body deep, compressed; dorsal fin long based; scales covering space between the eyes; jaws with peg-like teeth at the front and molars at the rear. Adults develop a hump-headed appearance with age. Silvery-pink to pinkish-red with small bright blue spots. To 1.3 m.

Biology

Snapper is Victoria's most popular recreational finfish. Juveniles settle in seagrass beds and move into rocky areas as they grow. Adults roam freely, occasionally migrating out of the bay.

Habitat

Widespread on rocky reefs in bays and along the coast, in depths of 0-200 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

New Zealand and Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Seabreams

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor Midwater

Max Size

1.3 m

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Snapper, Chrysophrys auratus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6371

Text: creative commons cc by licence