Atlantic Bigeye, Priacantus arenatus

Atlantic Bigeye, Priacantus arenatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 2022. Length: 36 cm (14 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of Faith Hubsch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Atlantic Bigeye, Priacantus arenatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, April 2023. Length: 35 cm (14 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Sebastian, Florida.

The Atlantic Bigeye, Priacantus arenatus, is a member of the Bigeye or Pricanthidae Family, that is known in Mexico as catalufa ojón. Globally, there are thirteen species in the genus Priacantus, with one, this species, being found in Mexican waters of the Atlantic Ocean and one in Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The Atlantic Bigeye is named for their large eyes and are characterized by a strong, compressed, and elongated body that has a depth that is 30% to 34% of standard length. They are a silvery red color that includes the fins and iris of the eye, and the anal, caudal, and dorsal fins with some fish being silvery with reddish bars. The fins are red to light pink with the membranes of the anal, caudal, and dorsal fins being dusky. Their anal and dorsal fins have a series of small elliptical spots. Their head profiles are asymmetrical with the tip of the lower jaw being above the mid-line of the body. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 14 to 16 rays; their caudal fin is slightly concave; their dorsal fin has 10 spines, which increase toward the rear with last being the longest and 13 to 15 rays; their pelvic fins are of modest length and broadly fused to the belly. They have 29 gill rakers, 23 on the lower limb and 6 on the upper limb. They are covered with large scales. Their lateral line is prominent.

The Atlantic Bigeye is found over and within rocky bottoms and shallow coral reefs at depths up to 600 m (1,950 feet). They are found in loose schools and are highly secretive. They reach a maximum of 50 cm (20 inches) in length and 2.9 kg (6 lbs 6 oz ) in weight. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 2.85 kg (6 lbs 4 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 1997. They are nocturnal feeders that consume primarily larval forms of small fishes, crustaceans, and polychaetes. The Atlantic Bigeye is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.

The Atlantic Bigeye can be confused with the Atlantic Glasseye, Heteropriacanthus cruentatus asymmetrical head profile; anal and dorsal fins with a series of small elliptical spots); the Bulleye, Cookeolus japonicus (dorsal spines 12 – 14 are the longest; long pelvic fins), and the Short Bigeye, Pristigenys alta (oval; fins with black margins, central dorsal spine 11 is the longest) all from the Atlantic Ocean.

In Mexican waters, the Atlantic Bigeye is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean.

From a conservation perspective, the Atlantic Bigeye is currently considered to be of Least Concern with widely distributed populations. They are considered to be an excellent food fish and caught with hook-and-line, trawls, and spears. They are subject to overfishing on a regional basis. There are reports, however, that indicate that they include ciguatera toxin. They are also utilized by the aquarium trade at a modest level.