Common Snook vs Red Lionfish
Centropomus undecimalis compared with Pterois volitans
Taxonomy & Classification
| Attribute | Common Snook | Red Lionfish |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Centropomus undecimalis | Pterois volitans |
| Order | Carangaria/misc | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family | Centropomidae | Scorpaenidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Physical Traits
| Attribute | Common Snook | Red Lionfish |
|---|---|---|
| Max Length | 140.0 cm | 38.0 cm |
| Max Weight | 24.3 kg | 1.1 kg |
| Color | Pale golden-olive to grayish-brown back with silvery flanks; a bold black lateral stripe runs from the operculum to the tail; belly pale yellow-white; fins are yellowish with a dusky posterior dorsal fin. | White to cream body with alternating bold reddish-brown and white vertical bands; fan-like pectoral fins are banded with red-brown and white spots; long dorsal spines are striped and venomous. |
Habitat & Environment
| Attribute | Common Snook | Red Lionfish |
|---|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater & Saltwater | Saltwater |
| Depth Range | ?-22m | 2-55m |
| Geographic Range | Western Atlantic from South Carolina south through the Gulf of Mexico, entire Caribbean, and along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America to Brazil. … | Native to the Indo-Pacific from East Africa and the Red Sea to southern Japan, Australia, and the Marquesas. Invasive in the western Atlantic and Caribbean … |
| Habitat | Neritic, estuaries | Neritic, coral reefs |
Fishing Information
| Attribute | Common Snook | Red Lionfish |
|---|---|---|
| Game Fish | Yes | No |
| Fight Rating | 8/10 | — |
| World Record | — | — |
| Mercury Level | — | — |
Cuisine & Edibility
Common Snook
Sweet, firm white flesh with a mild, clean flavor; low fat and large flakes. Highly regarded as table fare in Florida and the Caribbean; excellent grilled, blackened, or pan-seared.
Red Lionfish
Sweet, buttery white flesh once spines are safely removed; increasingly promoted as a sustainable food source in Atlantic waters where it is an invasive species.
Species Overview
Common Snook
The common snook is a prized inshore game fish found in tropical western Atlantic waters. It is highly sensitive to cold water and cannot survive temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius. Its lateral line is distinctive — a bold black stripe.
Red Lionfish
The red lionfish is a venomous coral reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific. Its ornate, striped body and fan-like pectoral fins make it popular in aquariums, but it has become a destructive invasive species in the western Atlantic and Caribbean.