Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Big Pine Key, Florida, February 2017. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Marc Eberlein, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Nassau, Bahamas, February 2023. Length: 15 cm (5.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of James Lafontaine, Long Island, New York.

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Boca Raton, Florida, February 2023. Length: 15 cm (5.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Aidan Perkins, Long Island, New York.

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris. Fish caught from coastal waters off Key Largo, Florida, November 2020. Length: 23 cm (9.1 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Josh Leisen (joshadventures.com), Gaylord, Michigan.

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris. Fish caught from coastal waters off Caye Ambergris, Belize, June 2013. Length: 25 cm (10 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris. Commercial fish courtesy of the Cabo San Lucas, Walmart, Baja California Sur, July 2008. Length: 30 cm (12 inches).

Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris. Fish caught from coastal waters off Key West, Florida, April 2017. Length: 32 cm (13 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of Dean Kimberly, Atlanta, Georgia.

The Lane Snapper, Lutjanus synagris, is a member of the Snapper or Lutjanidae Family, and in Mexico is known as biajaiba. Globally, there are sixty-seven species in the genus Lutjanus, of which nineteen are found in Mexican waters, ten in the Atlantic and nine in the Pacific Ocean.

The Lane Snapper has an oblong compressed moderately deep body that vary in color from whitish silver-pink to reddish. They have green-tinged vertical bars and a series of 7 to 10 yellow horizontal stripes along their sides with yellow diagonal lines above their lateral line. They have a diffuse black spot, larger than their eyes, above their lateral line and below their soft dorsal fin. All their fins are reddish-pink except their anal fin has yellow tinges. They have a pointed snout. Their anal fin has 3 spines, the second being robust and of equal length to the third, and 8 or 9 rays, and is rounded; their caudal fin has a concave margin; their dorsal fin is continuous with 10 thin spines, the fourth being the longest, and 12 spines; and, their pectoral fins are short. They have 6 to 7 gill rakers on the lower arch and 12 to 15 gill rakers on the upper arch.

The Lane Snapper is found over reefs and vegetated sandy bottoms at depths between 30 m (100 feet) and 122 m (400 feet). They reach a maximum length of 60 cm (2 feet 0 inches) and 3.7 kg (8 lbs 3 oz) in weight. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 3.72 kg (8 lbs 3 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Horseshoe Rigs, Mississippi in August 2001. They are nocturnal predators consuming fish and crustaceans; in turn they are preyed upon by sharks and other large predatory fish including other snappers. The Lane Snapper 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 Lane Snapper is a resident of all waters of the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

The Lane Snapper can be confused with the Mutton Snapper, Lutjanus analis (pointed anal fin; red pelvic fins; 13 or 14 dorsal rays).

From a conservation perspective the Lane Snapper is currently considered to be Near Threatened which is attributed to overfishing. They are heavily targeted by recreational anglers via trolling or small jigs. They are also targeted by commercial fishermen who utilize hook and line, fish traps, and seine and trammel nets. Their juveniles are also prone to high levels of mortality as they are caught with great frequency by deep water shrimp trawlers. They are also prone to habitat destruction. They are considered to be an excellent food fish and sold by the major supermarkets of Mexico.