Queen snapper

The queen snapper (Etelis oculatus), also known as the night snapper or brim snapper, is a species of ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, and is the only species in the genus Etelis found outside the Indo-Pacific region.

Habitat

The queen snapper is a bathydemersal species which is found at depths between 100 and 450 m (330 and 1,480 ft). Adults are found over rock substrates where they feed mainly on fish and squid. The juveniles are found in mid-water and will feed on crustaceans. Spawning takes place through most of the year, peaking towards the end of the year; spring seems to be when these fish are not reproductively active.

Distribution

The queen snapper is found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Its range extends from North Carolina south along the Atlantic coast of the United States, through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to South America as far south as São Paulo in Brazil. It is also found at Bermuda and at Brazil's Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Islands.