Yellowmouth Barracuda - Sphyraena viridensis - Parallel Passage above the Seagrass

Yellowmouth Barracuda pass in a loose parallel formation above the seagrass at Cirkewwa Reef, Malta, their striped flanks clearly visible at close range.

The Yellowmouth Barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis) has a long, slender and fusiform body with a conical hydrodynamic snout, elongated mouth and projecting lower jaw armed with sharp canine-like teeth. Its upper body is generally bluish-grey to greenish and becomes paler below, while numerous distinctive dark vertical bars mark the upper flanks and extend below the lateral line toward the front of the body. The two dorsal fins are widely separated and the deeply forked tail provides powerful propulsion for rapid movement through open water. Yellowmouth Barracuda are pelagic predators that feed mainly on fishes, together with cephalopods and crustaceans. They may occur individually or gather into coordinated groups and larger schools around reefs, drop-offs and coastal waters. The species occurs from the surface to about 100 metres depth and can reach approximately 128 centimetres in length. This photograph captures several Yellowmouth Barracuda passing close to the camera in an almost parallel formation above the seagrass at Cirkewwa Reef in Malta, providing a particularly clear view of their streamlined bodies and characteristic vertical markings.