Sealife guideThe common snookCentropomus undecimalis
Last updated on 09/01/2026 at 10:09 PM

The common snook (Centropomus undecimalis)
Taxonomy
English names
Common snookSnook
French namesBrochet de merCrossie blanc
Scientific nameCentropomus undecimalis (Bloch, 1792)
FamilyCentropomidae
OrderPerciformes
ClassActinopterygii
Description
The common snook is a large fish, with the largest specimens reaching up to 4.3 feet in length.

With its protruding lower jaw, the common snook does not look particularly friendly © Phillip Lowe | Dreamstime.com
The common snook has a long, slender body and a streamlined head. With its protruding lower jaw, it certainly does not look very friendly !
The common snook has a silvery-gray body with a distinctive black lateral line running from head to tail. A touch of yellow can be seen on all of its fins.
Geographic range
The common snook is widely distributed along the western coast of the Atlantic Ocean and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It is particularly abundant in the tropical waters around Florida, especially the Florida Keys.
Habitat
The common snook can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. It typically inhabits shallow waters.
The common snook is usually solitary or found in small groups of just a few individuals.
Diet
The common snook feeds mainly on smaller fish and crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs. It is preyed upon by dolphins, seabirds, and larger fish.
Reproduction
The common snook is a protandrous hermaphroditic fish: it is male when young and changes sex to become female as it grows. As a result, most young common snook are males, while the largest individuals are females.
Did you know ?
The common snook is a popular sport fish, prized by anglers for its fighting spirit and its culinary qualities.
The common snook is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The common snook appears in the IUCN Red List since 2019 within the category Least Concern !
Tips for observing
The common snook is difficult to approach, so you have to make the most of its brief appearances.

A school of common snook © Peter Leahy | Dreamstime.com
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