Glasseye snapper
Priacanthus cruentatus
(Lacepède, 1801)

Description:
Body varies from red to pale, silvery, mottled pink (P. cruentatus). Back always with silver bars, which may be faint (P. cruentatus 2).
Size up to 50.7 cm.

Habitat:
Common in lagoons and seaward reefs primarily around islands, down to 15 m. Nocturnal, feeding mainly on octopuses, pelagic shrimps, stomatopods, crabs, small fish and polychaetes. During the day usually singly or in small groups under or near ledges, but at dusk it may gather in large numbers.

Distribution:
Common to occasional Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.

Remarks:
The related Bigeye (Priacanthus arenatus) never has silver bars.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Superclass Pisces
Class Osteichthyes
Family Priacanthidae
Genus Priacanthus
Species Priacanthus cruentatus

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Synonym of Heteropriacanthus cruentatus (Lacepède, 1801)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Glasseye snapper [English]
Beau claire de roche [French]
Kandèlchi stinkie [Papiamentu]

Humann, P., 1989. Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas, (ed. N. Deloach). New World Publications, Inc., Paramount Miller Graphics, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

Nagelkerken, W., 1980. Coral Reef Fishes of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Published by the Island Territory of Curacao.

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