CORTEZ BARRACUDA
Sphyraena lucasana
English: Cortez barracuda, Gulf barracuda, Lucas barracuda .
Spanish: Barracuda agujona, Barracuda de Cortés, Picuda agujona.
This eastern central Pacific species is found from central Baja California to western and northeastern Gulf of California.
Cortez Barracuda have long heads with a long pointed snout, a large protractile mouth with a protruding jaw. They have many long sharp-edged teeth of unequal size.
They have two dorsal fins are widely separated.
Keys to identification include very small pectoral fins with 16 rays and small pelvic fins that originate behind the pectoral fins and under the first dorsal fin. The anal fin is small and similar to and under the second dorsal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked without a central lobe.
This fish species is most likely confused with the Mexican Barracuda,Sphyraena ensis (long pectoral fins that reach the pelvic fin origin).
The Cortez Barracuda is a coastal pelagic species found in the first 75 feet of the water column and reaches a maximum length of 30 inches.