Vermilion snapper

The vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, is a species of snapper native to the western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Bermuda including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to Brazil. This species inhabits waters from 40 to 300 m (though rarer deeper than 100 m) where they can be found in large schools over substrates of sand, gravel, or rock. This species can reach a length of 60 cm, though most are around 35 cm. The greatest recorded weight for this species is 3.2 kg. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. The vermilion snapper is often sold as red snapper.