Barracuda: Sphyraena barracuda

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Appearance:
Gray with a greenish color on the back, shading to a lighter belly
Mouth with prominent, sharp teeth; lower jaw protrudes past upper jaw
Black blotches on lower sides
Diagonal dark bars on upper sides (not always evident)
Tail color is dark with white tips
Young have dark stripe on side that breaks into dark blotches with age
Size: Up to 106 pounds
Habitat:
Range inshore to offshore. Young found inshore in seagrass beds.
Behavior:
Top predator in reef areas, consuming fishes, squid and shrimp.
Additional Information
Consuming larger barracuda may cause ciguatera poisoning.