Deepwater Snappers
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Deepwater Snappers
Snappers are robust-bodied highly-valued food fishes. There are at least 23 kinds of snappers in Guam's waters, 12 of which live in deep water, primarily at depths of 500 to 1,200 feet (152 to 366 m). They are caught primarily by bottomfishing near deep underwater pinnacles and cliffs. The deepwater snappers feed primarily on large planktonic animals such as larval crustaceans and tunicates (a jelly-like animal that feeds on zooplankton filtered from the water), but also eat other fishes and crustaceans.
The onaga is the most highly-prized deepwater snapper. This beautiful fish reaches a length of over 47 inches (120 cm) and weight of 44 pounds (20 kg) but is relatively uncommon. The lehi has a similar shape and also reaches a large size of 43 inches (110 cm). It is somewhat more common than the onaga. The ehu is red like the onaga, but does not develop long tail filaments. It gets as large as the onaga, to at least 46 pounds (21 kg), but is usually much smaller and is caught more frequently than the preceding snappers. The yellowtail kalikali and gindai are the most frequently caught deepwater bottomfishes at Guam. They are smaller than most of their relatives, and reach a size of 18 and 20 inches, respectively (45 cm and 50 cm). The pink opakapaka reaches a size of 31.5 inches (80 cm) and age of 18 years. It is less often caught than the preceding two snappers.
| Fact sheets on Fish Base:
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Lehi / Lehi
Aphareus rutilans
Yellowtail Kalikali / Buninas
Pristipomoides auricilla
Ehu / Buninas Agaga'
Etelis carbunculus
Pink Opakapaka / Påkåpåkå
Pristipomoides filamentosus
Onaga / Abuninas
Etelis coruscans
Image from Coral Reefs CD
Gindai / Buninas Rayao Amariyu
Pristipomoides zonatus
Guam Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 9/27/2005
