Biology ⁶

Inhabits seagrass beds, coral rubble areas, and offshore reefs down to about 50 m. Feeds on a wide variety of small benthic invertebrates such as mollusks, crustaceans, worms and sessile tunicates, as well as some sea grasses (Ref. 3696). Highly esteemed food fish in the Caribbean (Ref. 3696).

Distribution ⁷

Western Atlantic: Massachusetts (USA) to Brazil, including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean

Size ⁸

Maximum size: 470 mm TL

Diagnostic description ⁹

With small diffuse white spots; two areas where the hexagonal plates are dark-edged, forming chain-like markings, one on the pectoral region of the body and the other half way between gill opening and posterior end of carapace; large individuals lose the pale spots and chain markings and develop an irregular dark reticulate pattern over the entire carapace and caudal peduncle (Ref. 13442).

Habitat ¹⁰

benthic

Diet ¹¹

Feeds on a wide variety of small benthic invertebrates such as molluscs, crustaceans, worms and sessile tunicates, as well as some sea grasses

Link to Access Genomic Data ¹²

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=721873&lvl=0

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Jack Randall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.fishwisepro.com/pics/jpg/070543F000024W000005.jpg
2. (c) Jack Randall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.fishwisepro.com/pics/jpg/070543F000024W000004.jpg
3. (c) John E. Randall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://d1iraxgbwuhpbw.cloudfront.net/images/species/latri_u6.jpg
4. (c) John E. Randall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://d1iraxgbwuhpbw.cloudfront.net/images/species/latri_j0.jpg
5. (c) Callie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Callie
6. (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20914502
7. (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/28472419
8. (c) FishWise Professional, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/24199390
9. (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20914503
10. (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/28476147
11. (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/28476825
12. (c) matbio, all rights reserved

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• FishBase
• FishSource
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• VertNet
• World Register of Marine Species

Range Map

(c) AquaMaps, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

iNat Map