Body elongate and compressed, body depth 2.6 in SL. Head relatively short, its length 2.5 in SL. Eye large, its diameter 5.1 in head length. Tooth patch on vomer anchor-shaped and extended posteriorly. Pectoral fin long, its posterior tip reaching to anus when appressed. Caudal fin emarginate. Body red dorsally, pale red ventrally; a dark blotch on side of body below anterior soft dorsal fin rays in young (to about 25 cm SL), disappearing with growth; all fins red.
Distribution:
From southern Cuba through Caribbean Sea to northern Brazil.
Remarks:
This species is distinguishable from other species of Lutjanus by 9〜11 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch and the tooth patch on the vomer extended posteriorly. Lutjanus aya (Bloch, 1790) cannot be applied this species, because Bloch's name aya does not refer to a lutjanid (Rivas, 1966). (Matsuura)