Fish profile · Lutjanidae
John's snapper
Lutjanus johnii
Also called Golden snapper and Fingermark bream
John's snapper is a commercially important Malaysian snapper with a golden or bronze sheen. Market names can overlap with other snappers.
Last reviewed 13 October 2026 · 5 sources
- Max length
- 97 cm
- IUCN
- LC
- Least Concern
- In Malaysia
- Native
- Family
- Lutjanidae
- order Perciformes
Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.
How big?
Linear scale · person 170 cm
Up to 97 cm.
Where in Malaysia
10 open-licence records · GBIF
- Recorded (open records)
Recorded in Sabah, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pulau Pinang, and Terengganu. Based on 10 open-licence records on GBIF. Few records can mean few surveys, not few fish.
How to identify
- Yellowish to bronze body fading to a pale belly
- Large dark blotch above the lateral line beneath the soft dorsal fin
- Reddish-brown marks on scales form fine horizontal lines
Habitat
MangrovesEstuariesReefsCoastal waters
Silty coastal and estuarine reefs, with juveniles using mangrove shelter.
- Diet
- Fish and bottom-dwelling invertebrates, including shrimps, crabs and squid.
- Native range
- The tropical Indo-West Pacific.
Eating
An important snapper sold in Malaysian landing sites and markets.
More photos
Sources
Last reviewed 13 October 2026