Barracuda, any of 18 species of long, slender, predaceous marine fish with small scales, a large mouth with a sharp set of fangs, and a protruding lower jaw. The tail fin is forked, and the two dorsal fins are widely separated. Barracuda are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans (In Hawaii, the barracuda is also called kaku). The barracuda's reputation for being a voracious and fierce hunter is well founded. Plankton-feeding fish, such as groupers, grunts snapper, bream and even young barracudas arc among its victims. The barracuda generally attacks swiftly, charging at its prey at great speed and taking a large snapping bite with its powerful jaws. The barracuda uses its acute eyesight to hunt, and will usually move quickly towards any bright light or sudden movement that might indicate the presence of prey. In murky water, it tends to attack an object even before identifying it. When several barracudas hunt in a group they will often herd their prey together into a dense shoal, forcing the fish towards shallow water. They can then successfully feed on a greater number of fish. The flesh of some of We coral reef fish that the great barracuda eats is poisonous and so the barracuda's flesh becomes poisonous too. This may explain why barracudas in some areas are poisonous, while those from elsewhere are perfectly safe to eat. Smaller species swim in schools, but larger species are solitary. Although barracuda attacks on humans are rare, they are feared by swimmers in some places. Evidence shows that the barracuda can be dangerous to humans when provoked, being attracted to erratic movement (swimmers have been fatally bitten by them) and bright colors. Overall, however, the low number of alleged attacks does not completely support its dangerous reputation.
