lane snapper
Lutjanus synagris
The most fished small snapper in the Northeast. It gives quantity and is excellent on the table.
Also called: ariacó, ariocó, vermelho-ariacó
- common size
- 20–35 cm
- maximum
- 60 cm
- common weight
- 0.2–0.8 kg
- record/max.
- 3.5 kg
- depth
- 5–100 m
- ideal water
- 24–29 °C
who is the lane snapper
The ariacó is the most fished small snapper in the Northeast. It lives on sand and gravel bottoms near reefs, rocks and seagrass, from a few metres out to the shelf, and forms large schools. It rarely exceeds 40 cm, but bites well, gives quantity, and is a highly valued table fish. It eats small fish, shrimp, crabs and squid, and is more active in the late afternoon and at night. It is the handline and light-rod fishery from jangadas and boats in the Northeast, with shrimp or squid strips. Because it grows slowly and is heavily caught, the stock deserves care: release the small ones.
fun facts
- It is one of the most landed fish of the artisanal fishery in the Northeast.
- The black spot on the flank works as a "false eye" that confuses predators.
identification
Small fish, pink to reddish, with 8 to 10 fine yellow stripes along the body and a rounded, diffuse black spot on the flank, below the start of the soft dorsal fin. Reddish tail with a dark edge. Difference from the dentão and caranha: much smaller, with yellow stripes and a flank spot. From the guaiúba: the guaiúba has a wide yellow band to the tail and a deeply forked tail.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
where found
From Pará to São Paulo, with the big fisheries in the Northeast (Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Bahia) and at Abrolhos.
Habitat: Sand, gravel and seagrass bottoms near reefs, ledges and rocks.
coast
states
Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
when to fish
best season
Fished all year in the Northeast, with a slight improvement in the warm, calm-sea months.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Bites by day, but does better in the late afternoon and at night.
what affects the lane snapper
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Cooler water reduces the bite; look for deeper bottoms.
atmospheric pressure
Moderate effect; stable seas make bottom fishing easier.
moon
Dark nights often give more fish in night fishing.
rain
Rain doesn't bother it in open sea.
water level
Heavy sea prevents light boat fishing.
noise
Moderate; fish anchored and still over the school.
wind
Strong wind makes anchoring and line sensitivity difficult.
tide
It likes moderate current: on the rising and falling tide the bait drifts over the gravel and the school strikes. Current that is too strong on big-moon tides makes bottom fishing hard; at slack it still bites, more slowly.
depth
Between 10 and 60 m for most of the fishing.
how to fish
- rod
- 6'0" to 6'6", 10 to 25 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 3000 to 4000
- line
- braided line 15 to 30 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 30 to 40 lb
- hook
- 1/0 to 3/0 hook, medium shank
lures
- micro jig 20 to 60 g
- 1/2 oz jig head with shrimp
natural baits
- squid strips
- shrimp
- sardine piece
accessories
- sinker of 50 to 150 g depending on the current
- rig of 2 hooks
tip from an angler
Use small baits and a proportional hook: the ariacó bites fast and steals big bait.
rules for the lane snapper
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list of threatened species.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Bottom fish: reel in slowly and release the small ones quickly; if the swim bladder swells, use a descender.
in the kitchen
White, tasty meat, highly valued in the Northeast. Fried whole, baked or in moqueca.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01514, b = 2.96; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase — Lutjanus synagris (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Lutjanus synagris (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Lutjanus synagris (avaliação global: Quase Ameaçada, NT, 10/10/2015)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Allen, G. R. (1985). FAO species catalogue. Vol. 6. Snappers of the world. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 125(6). Roma: FAO. 208 p.
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Chapter Lutjanidae (Anderson Jr., W. D.).
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Buckup, P. A.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Moura, R. L. (orgs.) (2003). Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 160 p.List of the marine species recorded in Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites the catalogue for the species.
