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Home › Sea Life Facts › Marine Species › Vertebrates › Barracuda

Interesting Facts about Barracudas

[Barracuda Phylum: Chordata] [Class: Actinopterygii] [Order: Carangiformes] [Family: Sphyraenidae]

Only twenty eight (28) species of barracuda are still in existence today. They all belong with the genus Sphyraena, which is the single surviving genera of the family Sphyraenidae.

This section contains some fascinating facts about barracuda fish, most noteworthy for their torpedo-shaped body, menacing appearance, and ferocious hunting skills as mid-level predators.

Barracuda Geographical Range and Habitat

The global distribution of the barracuda species is fairly widespread in tropical and subtropical oceans.

In particular, their populations flourish in the warm waters of coastal environments, but especially in the:

• Atlantic Ocean (Northern USA, Bermuda, Brazil, and West Africa)
• Caribbean Sea (including the Gulf of Mexico)
• Indian Ocean (East African coastlines, India)
• Pacific Ocean (Indo-Pacific regions of Southeast Asia and Australia)

Barracudas prefer habitats near shallow coastal waters, such as mangroves, coral reef formations, seagrass beds, and sheltered lagoons (especially juveniles).

But, you may also see them swimming in large schools (known as a "battery of barracudas") as they hunt around sloping reefs and drop-offs in open oceans.

Interesting Fact: There are a few notorious species of barracuda, but "Sphyraena barracuda" is one of the most recognisable and widespread.

Key Characteristics of a Barracuda

One of the main features that characterises barracuda fish is the body shape. The elongated torpedo-shaped form, almost snake-like, is definitely built for speed.

A streamlined profile, and a high-powered forked caudal fin (tail), differs from most marine vertebrates. It means they can accelerate with abrupt bursts of propulsion that often reach speeds up to forty (40) km/h (25 mph) when chasing their prey.

Moving on...

Barracudas have a pointed "arrow-like" head and a large mouth, which often contains a pronounced underbite in some species.

The powerful jaws fail to hide their prominent fang-like teeth. Some teeth are curved and others are dagger-like, all designed to rip through some of their favourite prey, which are plankton-feeding fish, small marine crustaceans, and cephalopod mollusks.

Having large eyes generally means they have excellent vision. In fact, barracudas rely on visual acuity to identify and ambush their victims - even in sunlit clear waters.

But wait - there's more:

The typical body colouration of a barracuda is one of dark green, silver, or gray - often with light blue on the back. They also take advantage of their countershading camouflage (e.g. silvery flanks and white underbelly) to sneak up on unsuspecting victims.

Even so, some of the barracuda species feature dark vertical bars, chevrons, or spotted markings, such as those seen in the pickhandle barracuda (Sphyraena jello).

Barracuda Size and Weight

The average size varies according to the different species. However, the northern sennet (Sphyraena borealis) is the smallest measuring about forty six (46) centimetres long (around 18 inches).

In contrast, at full maturity the great barracuda can grow to 1.8 metres in total body length (6 feet) and weigh up to 45 kilograms (100 pounds).

What Do Barracudas Eat?

Being stereotypical opportunistic predators means these ray-finned saltwater hunters feed most on slow-moving fishes, even if they're larger than themselves, such as:

• Anchovies
• Groupers
• Grunts
• Herrings
• Jacks
• Killifishes
• Mullet
• Snappers
• Tuna

Interesting Fact: In their quest to kill their prey, or bite large chunks out of them, barracudas sometimes need to compete with other savage oceanic predators, such as needlefish and mackerel.

Barracuda Fish Species List

Do Barracuda Attack Humans?

So, do barracuda fish attack people? Well, they do have a reputation for being dangerous - like some of the shark species.

Research shows some confirmation of severe barracuda attacks, especially during shallow snorkeling activities and while people are swimming.

Another theory is that these menacing predatory fish follow swimmers near the surface and could mistake them as marine hunters - thinking there may be some leftover food scraps.

Plus...

It's also well documented that barracudas are attracted to anything that glints or shines in the water, particularly silver jewelry items.

In all fairness, theorists suggest that the barracuda's scavenger characteristics may be the main reason they bite humans. However, the most likely reason may be something as simple as "poor underwater visibility".

How Do Barracudas Reproduce?

Barracuda reproduction occurs through "external fertilisation" (a common practice among pelagic fishes). They are also broadcast spawners, which means males and females "simultaneously" release sperm and eggs into the open water.

In the main, spawning season aligns with the warmest months, spring to end of summer, and usually takes place in deep water, away from reef formations and shorelines. The stronger water currents found in open oceans help to disperse their eggs.

Here's the thing:

Female barracudas can release hundreds of thousands of eggs during each spawning event. The tiny eggs (often less than 1 mm in size) are buoyant and float near to the surface of the water.

Even though the eggs hatch within a few days, and eventually grow big enough to settle in some protected habitat (e.g. seagrass beds), there is no parental care after the spawning event has finished.

Interesting Fact: Most of the barracuda species attain sexual maturity after they are two (2) years of age, but usually before they get to four (4) years old. In the wild, the average lifespan is around fifteen (15) years.

Threats and Predators

Despite being one of the fastest mid-level predators, barracudas face several natural and human-induced threats.

For example, besides being targeted by sport-fishing enthusiasts, outside of captivity they often fall victim to some of the biggest marine hunters, such as:

• Groupers (e.g. the Atlantic goliath grouper)
• Dolphins (preying on juvenile barracudas)
• Sharks (especially bull sharks and tiger sharks)
• Tuna fish
• Other barracudas (cannibalism is commonplace among large barracudas).

Other contributing factors for the decline in a few vulnerable areas include certain types of human behaviour such as, habitat destruction (e.g. coastal development), coral reef destruction, overfishing (bycatch), and escalating sea temperatures.

Fun Fact: The IUCN Red List is a comprehensive source of information about the global conservation status of animals, fungi, and plants. Currently, the IUCN lists almost all barracudas (genus Sphyraena) as being of "Least Concern" (LC).

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