Appearance
The body and fins are generally red, sometimes with a blue streak below the eye. Young fish carry bars, so juveniles need not look like uniformly red adults. The notch and projecting knob on the rear edge of the cheek region are weakly developed.
Sources: Lutjanus colorado species summary
Habitat and diet
Adults are generally solitary in inshore reef areas, with reported depths from 1 to 70 m. Juveniles sometimes use shallow coastal water and estuaries. The diet includes both fishes and invertebrates. That difference in habitat between age groups is useful when interpreting a snapper found away from a mature reef.
Sources: Lutjanus colorado species summary
