Sphyraena(Sphyraenidae)
Size – On average, up to 5.5ft
Barracudas, or Cudas, have a snake and eel-like appearance, with prominent, sharp-edged, fang-like teeth. They have a distinctive underbite and elongated heads. Their colors range from dark grey, dark green, white, or blue on their upper body with a chalky-white underbelly and silvery sides. They are capable of incredible short bursts of speed (27mph) to capture their prey.
They tend to live near the surface in coral reefs and sea grasses in both the Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.
They eat a wide range of fish such as Groupers, Snappers, Small Tunas, Mullets, Herrings, and Anchovies among many more.
They are opportunistic, ferocious predators. They use surprise and short bursts of speed up to 27 mph to catch their prey. They are known to simply bite their prey in half when attacking. They use their long, silvery appearance to blend into the ocean and then burst at the opportune moment to attack.
They also have a tendency to swim in groups, called a Battery (Pictured.)
Barracudas have been reported to mistakenly bite a swimmer on occasion, but it would be a reach to declare them a true danger or threat to humans.
Barracudas are actually a surprisingly large family with 28 species of Cuda.
They typically land on the “Least Concern” scale when it comes to vulnerability.
