Sphyraena qenie (Blackfin barracuda)

Identification

Long, cylindrical body with silver color. Dark, dusky tail and 18 to 22 dark chevrons on the body. Protrusive lower jaw with sharp teeth. They often form large schools, swimming in circles.

Status

Unassessed by the IUCN Red list. This species of barracuda is often seen since it forms large schools and is spread throughout the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and Pacific.

Habitat

They can be found from Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf to the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Indian Ocean and French Polynesia. Eastern Pacific: Mexico and Panama. The exact range is uncertain because of confusion with Sphyraena jello and Sphyraena putnamae. They inhabit seaward reeds to a depth of 5o meters.

Reproduction

Spawning of the barracuda is not very clear by scientists but evidence shows that it takes place in deep offshore waters. They breed during in seasons, spring, summer and fall or between April and September. The eggs of the barracudas are released by the females who spawn a few times. The females can release their eggs. These eggs are left floating in the waters and are dispersed by currents and then fertilized. The fertilized eggs float in the water until they are hatched. In order to prevent predators, the barracuda larvae settle in estuaries that are shallow and vegetated for protection and feed for approximately a year. The juveniles are 1cm in length and when they reach a size of 3cm, they change their habitat to open waters but still within the estuaries. When they reach a size of around 6cm, again they change habitat and move to seagrass areas and mangroves. At adulthood, they move on to deeper waters such as deep reef areas and spend most of their lives there. Males tend to sexually mature in the first 3 years and females mature in 4 years.

Size

Up to 100cm.

Prey / Predation

They feed on various species of smaller fish and crustaceans.

Special features

They stay stationary during the day and are actively feeding at night. They tend to stay at the same place for several months at a time.