The northern red snapper, sow snapper or rat snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a reef fish found on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans’ shores, in America. If you want to continue learning about all marine species don’t miss this opportunity
Table Of Content
Taxonomy
Animalia Kingdom Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Lutjanidae Genus: Lutjanus Species: L. campechanus
Characteristics and Description of the Northern Red Snapper
This is one of the most common fish to eat, as they are the ones that are the most found; it’s not uncommon to go to the beach on a weekend, and eat on the shore a delicious northern red snapper accompanied by rice, potatoes or any other food you want.
However, few people know everything about this fish, as they usually eat it, and for them, it is not 
entirely necessary to know where northern red snapper are from…
So, if you really want to clear-up all those small doubts about them, we I invite you to read the whole article.
In addition, we will also talk about how to cook these just delicious fish.
Morphology
The northern red snapper, (Lutjanus campechanus), has a somewhat elongated body with a base coloration between silver and rosacea.
Its snout is a little accentuated, its lips prominents and the forehead slanted but of considerable height.
The body is slightly flattened laterally. During adulthood Lutjanus campechanus reachs on average 60 cm in length, although specimens up to 1 m have been reported. The average weight ranges from about 57 kg. It has been described as life expectancy up to 57 years old.
Other Traits
When they are very young, northern red snappers have a spot, (usually round and black) on the dorsal rays, but it disappears over time, and is no longer noticeable when they are adults.
That’s the best way to differentiate a young one from an adult, so if you get to observe one with the characteristic named above, you know exactly what it’s about.
The red snapper fish is visually similar to the bonito fish although with a noticeable difference in color.
Let’s enjoy them
The Northern Red Snapper’s Habitat, Customs and Geographical Distribution.
This is a fish of marine habits that is associated with coral reefs, specifically at depth ranges of between 10 and 190 meters.
Adult specimens are commonly scattered along rocky areas, while juveniles prefer muddy or sandy ones of little depth. They usually stay in groups.
Lutjanus campechanus is distributed in the Gulf of Mexico from Massachusetts to Brazil and is classified as vulnerable species by the IUCN,
Since its population has declined considerably in recent years especially due to commercial and sport fishing, as it has good commercial impact due to its prized meat.
Benefits of Consuming Northern Red Snappers
For all those people, who like to live a totally healthy life, it’s necessary to tell them, that this fish provides a lot of proteins to the body, if you add it in your daily diet.
Proteins
An 85g portion of red snapper has only 109 calories and provides 22 grams of protein, or 44% of the required daily value, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Protein is a nutrient that causes a feeling of satiety and is slowly digested, reducing hunger.
Omega-3
Each 85 g portion of cooked red snapper provides 41 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid and 232 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid.
These omega-3 fatty acids are quite helpful for reducing the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Vitamin-A
When it comes to eyes care, red snappers are a just a wonderful choice. Each serving of cooked red snapper provides 14% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin A for an adult woman and 11% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin A for a male.
Vitamin-B12
Vitamin B12 is also crucial for healthy blood since it produces red blood cells. Having enough red blood cells will help prevent megaloblastic anemia. At the same time, it will prevent you from experiencing permanent neurological damage, characterized by numbness and tingling in your hands and feet.
Potassium
Red snapper also has high potassium content in each serving. Potassium is useful for our body to activate different types of enzymes so that the heart and skeletal muscles function properly.
It also helps to improve the body’s metabolism. Lack of potassium in our body can lead to a greater chance that the body will contract certain diseases, such as high blood pressure, kidney stones and even osteoporosis. We invite you to read our article common seabrean to learn more about this family
Baked Red Snapper with Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium red snappers
- 3 big potatoes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 whole lemons
- 1/4cup white wine
- 1 bunch celery, chopped
- 1 bunch parsley
- Sal, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper, if you like
Instructions
1 Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2 Clean the snapper very well, open it in half lengthwise and remove the central spine. Wash and combine with salt, garlic, peppers, celery and drizzle the juice of a lemon inside and out leaving it marinated for an hour.
3 Wash the potatoes well, peel them (though not necessary) and cut them into slices the thickness of a finger (about 1/2 inch).
4 Place the snapper on a refractory tray and cover with the potatoes. Spread remaining lemon juice, parsley, oil and wine evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes.
5 remove the tray from the oven and place the snapper on the potato bed or you can serve it with the potatoes around, as you like.
Here it is