Lutjanus kasmira, Forsskal 1775
The preferred habitat of the species changes with age, with young fish schooling on sandy substrates, while larger fish are more solitary, and inhabit deep reefs. Major food items in the diet of L. kasmira did not change significantly from year to year as well as younger stages to adult.
Not evaluated
Harmless to human
The bluestripe snapper is part of an unusual mimicry relationship with the goatfish, Mulloidichthys mimicus, whose colouration nearly exactly matches that of the snapper. The goatfish are also known to school alongside the snapper, with this behaviour attributed to predatory protection, with goatfish presumably a more preferred prey than bluestripe snapper.
Fish parasitic isopod, Elthusa raynaudii in the mouth of L. kasmira was reported from Guam (Williams et al., 2000)
Widespread in the Indo-Pacific from the Marquesas and Line Islands to East Africa, and from Australia to southern Japan.
Inhabits coral reefs, occurring in both shallow lagoons and on outer reef slopes to depths of at least 60 m. Frequently found in large aggregations around coral formation, caves or wrecks during daylight hours.
The bluestripe snapper reaches sexual matuirity at around 20 to 25 cm. The size of first maturity was observed at the size of 17 cm in both male and females. About 50% maturity was reached at 20 cm in females. Spawning occurs throughout most of the year in lower latitudes with peak activity reported for November and December to March in the Andaman sea. Fecundity of L. kasmira varies from 42,100 to 332,620. Its eggs measure from 0.78 to 0.85 mm in diameter and hatch when temperatures reach 22 to 25°C.
Fish parasitic isopod, Elthusa raynaudii in the mouth of L. kasmira was reported from Guam (Williams et al., 2000). Work et al. (2003) reported infection of an apicomplexan protozoan compatible with a coccidian in spleen and kidney and an epitheliocystis-like organism in kidney caused inflammation in L. kasmira population from Hawaii.
Consumes in fresh condition
Sciaena kasmira Forsskal, 1775. Descript. Animal 46 (type locality- Red sea)
From Talwar and Kacker, 1984
Longitudinal rows of scales above lateral line appear to rise obliquely to dorsal profile, thode in front of and below anterior part of spinous dorsal fin sometimes parallel to lateral line.....
Scales on head begining above midle of eyes or nearly so, temporal region scaly.....
Preopercular notch well developed and deep. Vomerine teeth in a triangular or inverted V-shaped patch.....
Logitudinal bands present on body......
Body yellow or golden, with longitudinal light blue nabds, bordered by brown lines ....
The bluestripe snapper has a varied diet, feeding on fishes, shrimps, crabs, stomatopods, cephalopods and planktonic crusteceans, as well as plant and algae material. Teleost fishes, juvenile crabs and megalopa and juvenile prawns are the major food items. Isopods, amphipods, ostracods, polychaetes, stomatopods, asteroids, ophiuroids, gastropods, holothurians, hermit crabs, pteropods, lucifers, caprellids and cypris were also contributed in the diet of L. kasmira
This species is fairly common in the commercial catches of the Andaman sea where the sea perches form a major fishery contributing to about 20% of the total fish landed every year. Caught with handlines, bottom set gill nets and traps.