Schoolmaster

About Schoolmaster

See: Snappers

The schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus), is a species of marine ray-finned fish; a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, and like other snapper species, it is a popular food fish.

The schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus), is a species of marine ray-finned fish; a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, and like other snapper species, it is a popular food fish. Taxonomy The schoolmaster snapper was first formally described in 1792 as Perca apoda by the German physician, naturalist, and taxonomist Johann Julius Walbaum with the type locality given as the Bahamas. Walbaum’s description was based on an illustration which omitted the fish’s pectoral fins, so he gave it the specific name apoda meaning “footless”. Description The schoolmaster snapper has a moderately deep body which is robust and slightly compressed with a long. pointed snout and a large mouth. One of the upper pairs of canine teeth is clearly larger than back teeth in the lower jaw and can be seen when mouth is closed. The vomerine teeth are arranged in a chevron or crescent shaped patch with a line of similar teeth extending from the middle of the patch towards the rear. The preoperculum has a weakly developed incision and knob. This species has a protrusible upper jaw which is mostly covered by the cheek bone when the mouth is closed and…