DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ZOOGEOGRAPHY

ECOLOGY

BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

VALUE OF FISH RESOURCES

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

DANGEROUS MARINE FISHES

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SPECIES INDEX

CHAMORRO NAMES

LUTJANIDAE (SNAPPERS)

Aprion virescens Valenciennes
(Jobfish; Uku)
SL: to over 80 cm; Wt: to 22 kg (photo: 25 cm SL, Oahu, Hawaii, 9 m)

Uku occur singly or in small groups along outer reef slopes and in deep channels and adjacent lagoon waters from depths of 3 to 180 m or more. They feed primarily on fishes and to a lesser extent on benthic and planktonic crustaceans and cephalopods.  They will take a trolled lure as well as a bottom line.  Large individuals are sometimes ciguatoxic.  In Palau, Uku form large spawining aggregations from January to May along the outer reef slope on and for a few days after the new moon.

INDO-PACIFIC: Red Sea to Mangareva, the Marquesas, and Hawaii, n. to the Ryukyus, s. to New Caledonia.