Angler hauls in odd-colored fish — the first of its kind — in Mexico. See the catch
A commercial angler off the coast of Mexico hauled in their nets and noticed an odd-colored fish tangled within. The shiny catch turned out to be a first-of-its-kind record.
Elain Pérez Pérez caught the “abnormal” orange sea creature while fishing near Tabasco in May 2021 and took it to a port, according to a study published Dec. 17 in the peer-reviewed journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria. There, scientists identified the fish as a common snook showing xanthochromism.
Xanthochromism is a “genetic disorder” resulting in “bright yellow or orange body coloration,” the study said. Xanthochromatic fish are less common but have been recorded dozens of times.
A photo shows the odd-colored fish next to a normal-colored common snook. It has an “entirely orange” body with some yellow and pink hues. The coloring is a stark contrast to the species’ typical silvery and white coloring.
Researchers identified the orange common snook as the first case of xanthochromism for the species.
Common snooks, scientifically known as Centropomus undecimalis, are “a very popular game fish” found along the coast of North and South America, according to the Florida Museum. They can reach about 43 inches, weigh up to 53 pounds and live up to 20 years.
The orange common snook caught off Tabasco roughly measured 2.5 feet and weighed about 11 pounds, the study said. “It was transported to the La Viga fish market in Mexico City.”
Anglers in Tabasco told scientists about other local “cases of xanthochromism” in common snooks, dating back to at least 2013. Photos from social media show two such sightings.
The causes of xanthochromism are poorly understood but range from nutrition and DNA to parasites, the study said. Near Tabasco, “oil extraction and related activities are intense,” so researchers suggested the abnormal fish coloring may be caused by “multiple environmental stressors, natural and anthropogenic.”
Tabasco is a state in southern Mexico, bordering the Gulf of Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the south.
The research team included Armando Wakida-Kusunoki, Vicente Anislado-Tolentino, Luis Fernando Del Moral-Flores and Rodolfo Castro-Barbosa.
This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Angler hauls in odd-colored fish — the first of its kind — in Mexico. See the catch."
