What highly visible feature gives the yellowtail snapper its common name?

Answer

A distinct, bright yellow stripe running from its eye to its tail

The common name of the yellowtail snapper is directly attributable to a highly distinct physical marking present on the fish. This feature is a stripe of bright yellow coloration that runs conspicuously along the body, specifically extending from the area around the eye all the way back to the tail fin. This coloration is so prominent that it overrides other taxonomic identifiers when referencing the fish casually or in common contexts, cementing its common nomenclature.

What highly visible feature gives the yellowtail snapper its common name?
biologyclassificationsnapperfish