Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Sphyraena barracuda

Ono

Great Barracuda

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Great Barracuda, Barracouta [alt. spelling], Great Barracuda; German Grosser Barrakuda; French Barracuda

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Ono (RR MK MT PL TS TW), Onoono < Ono (MG), ‘Ono (AT), Ono / Tarā Ono < Tātua Ono < Ono (AK), Wono (PK); Other Polynesian - Ono (TAH), Kaokao (MQA)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa to Tuamotus, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to Norfolk; tropical Atlantic - Caribbean

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; PLUS: Ciguatoxic (MT 1984); Marine, pelagic, often near reefs; In murky conditions it is known to attack people, also when speared. In clear water, unprovoked, it is not a threat. It is solitary during the day and often approaches divers. Well known for ciguatera

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Injurous bite - serious

KEY FEATURES: Sleek fish to 170cm and 40kg, with upper-side bars and white-tipped back tail and hind fins. Body dark above, with silvery sides and belly; upper-sides with ~17 oblique grey bars; lower-sides with a few dark spots. 1st Dorsal, Pectorals and Ventrals pale; 2nd Dorsal, Anal and Tail black with white tips. 0 (zero) Gill Rakers.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Blackspot Barracuda (Sphyraena forsteri) dark blotch at base of Pectoral; fins pale; without dark body-bars; 0 (zero Gill Rakers). Sharpfin Barracuda (Sphyraena helleri) 1-2 golden stripes on the sides; without dark body-bars; 1 (one) Gill Raker. Blackfin Barracuda (Sphyraena genie) has 18-22 dark bars reaching to belly; black fins; 0 (zero) Gill Rakers.

Enlarged Image of 'Sphyraena barracuda'

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR 
MG
AT
MK
MT
AK
PL
TK
MN
++
^^^P
^P
P

Northern Group: Present
TN 
MH
RK
PK
NS
SW
+
P
+++

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Sphyraena barracuda (Walbaum, 1792)
SYNONYMS: Esox barracuda [O]; Sphyraena picuda

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; SPHYRAENIDAE

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: In most parts of the world this species has a strong reputation for being ciguateric.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimen 4/99 Toa Timote, ID GMc. Mangaia: Photo Sue Ngatokorua, 9/2000, ID GMcC. Aitutaki: field-specimen, NBSAP School, 12/2000, ID GM. Tongareva: specimen as Sphyraena picuda (T&P85). Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Sphyraena barracuda. Suwarrow: commonly caught (Sims EIA99).

References:
text p.201 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 112d Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.291 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.422 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 111-01 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes
plate 69-12 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....
Species No. 271 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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