Black-and-white Snapper

Macolor niger

Black-and-white Snapper (Macolor niger) is a deep-reef lutjanid of Indo-West Pacific outer slopes and drop-offs. Juveniles are strongly black-and-white barred, while adults become mostly dark gray to black with a paler belly and are often seen around steep reef edges and ledges.

Saltwater

Black-and-white Snapper reference image — Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, cc-by-sa, via Wikimedia Commons. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Identification points

Juveniles show bold black-and-white vertical bars or mottling.
Adults are dark gray to black with a paler lower body, lacking the juvenile pattern.
Body is deep and snapper-like with a sloping head and a relatively large mouth.

Habitat

Lives on steep outer reef slopes, deep coral and rocky drop-offs, ledges, and sometimes seaward channels; juveniles may shelter in shallower reef areas, mangrove-associated habitats, and structurally complex reefs before moving deeper.

Bait notes

Use cut fish, squid, shrimp, and fresh strips of oily baitfish. Small live baits fished near structure can work where regulations allow; deep-diving jigs and vertical metal jigs are also effective.

Behavior

An opportunistic predator that forages near the bottom on fishes, crustaceans, and other benthic prey. Adults are often solitary or in small groups and are more associated with current-swept reef structure than open water.

Caution

Deep-water snapper species can carry ciguatera risk in some tropical areas, and larger individuals may be subject to local harvest limits or size rules. Check regional regulations before keeping any fish.

Fishing notes

Target steep reef edges, drop-offs, and pinnacles with weighted bottom rigs or slow vertical jigging. Keep gear heavy to turn fish away from structure quickly; this species is often a deep-water bycatch rather than a primary target.