Aprion virescens Valenciennes, 1830
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body elongate and robust; very distinct horizontal groove on snout ventral to nostrils; teeth in both jaws in bands, with strong canines anteriorly; teeth on roof of mouth in chevron- or crescent-shaped patch on vomer and in elongate band on each palatine; maxilla without scales or longitudinal ridges; interorbital region flattened; gill rakers on first gill arch 7-8 + 13-16 = 20-24; preopercular edge smooth, sometimes denticulated in juveniles; last soft ray of both dorsal and anal fins well produced, longer than next to last ray; caudal fin forked; short pectoral fins, less than 1/2 length of head, about equal to length of snout; D X,11 soft rays; membranes of dorsal and anal fins without scales; tubed lateral-line scales 48-50. Colour of body dark green, bluish, or grey-blue (Ref. 55, 9821).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Eupercaria/misc
Family: Lutjanidae
Genus: Aprion
Species: Aprion virescens Valenciennes, 1830
Climate Zone
Location
- Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia.
Biology
Adults inhabit open waters of deep lagoons, channels, or seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Found in benthopelagic waters (Ref. 58302). Usually seen singly, but also in groups. They feed mainly on fishes, but also on shrimps, crabs, cephalopods and planktonic organisms (Ref. 30573, 48635). Mainly marketed fresh but also dried and salted. Excellent eating. Large individuals may be ciguatoxic (Ref. 37816).
Habitat
associated
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Threat to Humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Aprion virescens Valenciennes, 1830