California Barracuda
Sphyraena argentea
Physical Description
- Fish with an elongated cylinder-shaped body
- Have a slender, long, pointy snout and a large mouth full of canine-like teeth
- Grayish-blue coloration on their back and sides, white or silver on bellies. Tail is more yellow in color
- Two dorsal (back) fins that are small and widely spaced
- They are distinct from other barracudas due to their silvery shiny backsides, small scales, and the lack of bars or spots on their body
- Adult males are olive or yellow on the edges of their anal and pelvic (bottom) fins, adult females have a charcoal black edge on those fin
- They can reach a length of about 4 feet and a weight of about 15 pounds
- An average female weighs 10 pounds
Range
- From Kodiak Islands, Alaska to Cape San Lucas, Baja California
- Not common north of Santa Barbara
Habitat
- Usually considered a pelagic, or open water, species
- Usually found near shores or coastal areas in adult life
- When young, found in bays in shallow waters
Reproduction
- Off Southern California, spawning season occurs from April to September, peaking in June
- Reproduction occurs by external fertilization, where eggs and sperm are expelled into the water
- Barracuda can spawn more than once per season
- A female may produce 50,000 eggs at age 2 but up to 400,000 at age 6
Diet
- A predatory fish, exhibiting aggressive behavior in order to feed on other small fishes
- Their diet primarily consists of small fish such as anchovies, small pacific mackerels, grunion, squid, groupers, grunts, and even young barracuda
Predators
- Eagles, terns, marine mammals, large fish, sharks
Interesting Facts
- Known as the “Tigers of the Sea” due to their ferocious, aggressive nature around their prey.
- They are often considered a sport fish by fishermen.
- They can form long, thin schools sometimes miles long!
Sources: California Sea Grant; MarineBio Conservation Society; Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Photo: Daira Paulson