Cubera snapper

Photo: Pauline Walsh Jacobson · CC BY

The largest of the Atlantic snappers, cubera can exceed 1.2 metres and 55 kilograms, making them one of the top predators on Caribbean reefs. Their massive, plate-like teeth allow them to prey on large crustaceans and even juvenile reef fish — a generalist predator strategy that makes them resilient to prey-base shifts. Dense aggregations of cubera snapper are rarely seen where spearfishing pressure exists, making Dog Island's population a significant indicator of the site's ecological health. Vulnerable to overfishing due to their slow growth and predictable aggregating behaviour during spawning.