SNAPPERS OF GTJLF OF MEXICO 
267 
ability. To definitely determine their significance would require many specimens, and 
it is manifestly impractical to preserve great numbers of these large fish. These 
differences, therefore, are put on record here and their value must await being tested 
by field observations of the commercial catch. The proportional measurements of 
this specimen are as follows: Head 2.92, depth 2.75, antedorsal distance 2.56, and base 
of dorsal fin 1.92 in length without caudal, snout 2.55, maxillary 2.63, eye 5.55, 
longest dorsal spine (fourth) 2.57, pectoral 1.08, ventral 1.44, base of anal 2.51, 
second anal spine 3.8, third 3.6, longest soft anal ray (third) 2.26, caudal peduncle 
3.16 in head. The color when fresh was of a deeper red all over, and the yellow 
shades on the fins and eye were not as pronounced. The caudal may best be described 
as red, washed with yellow shades. Iris orange color tinged with red. Base of pectoral 
shaded with dusky. 
Figure 1 . — Lutianus vivanus. From a specimen 56 centimeters (22 inches) total length, taken at the Campeche 
Banks off the coast of Yucatan, in the Gulf of Mexico. Drawn by Miss Louella E. Cable 
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE 
This species is a common market fish in the West Indies, where it is said to be highly 
esteemed. In the Caribbean Sea it seems to replace to a large extent the red snapper 
of the Gulf of Mexico. In the absence of any definite statistics it is not possible to 
estimate its exact economic importance or its relative importance to the other deep- 
water snappers. It is said to reach a weight of 40 pounds. 
Students of the fishery industry of the United States have hitherto given little 
consideration to this fish. Recently, however, the present species appears to have 
entered the catch of the American snapper fishermen to a considerable extent. In a 
recent number of the Fishing Gazette (New York, vol. 47, No. 2, p. 37, February, 
1930), there is an article regarding a “yellowtail ” snapper which states as follows: 
Pensacola, Fla., January 20. — During the last few months a great many of the fishing vessels 
from Pensacola have been fishing in deep water, where they have been catching the species of the red 
snapper known locally as the yellowtail. These fish are caught in deep water only and on being 
brought to the surface present a very attractive appearance, although they are several shades lighter 
in color than the red snapper and have a yellow tail and a bright yellow eye. 
For some unknown reason the yellowtail will not keep for any length of time, and those that 
have been on ice only a short time give off a very disagreeable odor when cleaned and cooked. The 
bringing in of these fish to Pensacola has caused a good deal of complaint from the trade, and in 
all cases the customers were either made an allowance on the shipment or reshipped real red snappers. 
