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Red Snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

Fish · family Lutjanidae · order Perciformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
3 states[2]
Longest recorded life
57 years[3]

The Red Snapper is a fish in the snapper family, Lutjanidae[4]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable, and NatureServe lists it as native in Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas[5][2].

Conservation status

NatureServe records the IUCN Red List category for the Red Snapper as Vulnerable[5]. The fish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal status and says little else about how the fish is doing. Older NatureServe notes say abundance fell steadily for about 20 years, with the lowest point recorded in 1986 to 1988[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Vulnerable

Where Red Snapper lives

NatureServe lists the Red Snapper as native in 3 US states and territories: Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas[2]. People report it on GBIF most often in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi[7]. Those counts follow where observers look and report, so they do not show where the fish is most plentiful[7]. National Park Service lists record it as present in 2 park units[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S4SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: native, state rank SNRMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (3 states)
StateRankMeaning
MississippiSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
TexasS4Apparently Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records the habitat type as near shore[10]. Adults live over hard bottom with features such as dips, rises and folds, and they sometimes move closer to shore in summer[11]. Young fish are found over sandy or muddy bottoms and in shallower water than the adults[11]. The fish prefers water warmer than 14 C[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Diet and lifespan

Adult Red Snapper are recorded as fish eaters and invertebrate eaters[12]. NatureServe notes say adults mostly eat fishes, and they can also eat tunicates during spring blooms[13]. Young fish eat mostly shrimp and other crustaceans[13]. The longest recorded lifespan is 57 years in the wild, which is a record and not a typical lifespan[3]. In the Gulf of Mexico, spawning happens in the summer and into fall, and one fish probably spawns several times in a season[14].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 57 years (wild)
Food habits[12] Piscivore, Invertivore

When to look for it

Spawning runs from early July to mid-September, with a peak in July and August[14]. Adults stay on reef habitats during the cooler months, and tagging studies show little movement[15]. Young fish move offshore when the water turns cold[15]. GBIF records peak in July, September and October, but records show when people look and report, not how many fish there are[16].

January: 116 recordsJanFebruary: 62 recordsFebMarch: 65 recordsMarApril: 71 recordsAprMay: 68 recordsMayJune: 179 recordsJunJuly: 271 recordsJulAugust: 195 recordsAugSeptember: 222 recordsSepOctober: 254 recordsOctNovember: 102 recordsNovDecember: 49 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[16].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January116
February62
March65
April71
May68
June179
July271
August195
September222
October254
November102
December49

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Red Snapper as present in 2 park units[8]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alabama, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Red Snapper endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe records its IUCN Red List category as Vulnerable[5].
Where does the Red Snapper live?
NatureServe lists it as native in Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas[2]. It lives near shore over hard bottom habitats[10][11].
What does the Red Snapper eat?
Adults mostly eat fishes, and young fish eat mostly shrimp[13]. Adults are recorded as fish eaters and invertebrate eaters[12].
How long does a Red Snapper live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 57 years in the wild[3]. That is a record and not a typical lifespan[3].
When is the Red Snapper reported most?
GBIF records are highest in July, September and October[16]. Records show when people look and report, not how many fish there are[16].

Facts and sources

  1. Red Snapper is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe lists Red Snapper as native in 3 US states and territories: Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 57 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a fish in the family Lutjanidae, order Perciformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe notes on trend for Red Snapper. NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Red Snapper: Alabama, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. NPSpecies park lists recording Red Snapper as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Red Snapper (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Red Snapper: Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Red Snapper. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Red Snapper. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Red Snapper. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on migration for Red Snapper. NatureServe Explorer
  16. GBIF observation records of Red Snapper in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.