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What the sources say

Great BarracudaSphyraena barracuda

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Great Barracuda profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 39 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Florida Museum of Natural History, Discover Fishes

Great Barracuda. Florida Museum of Natural History, Discover Fishes.

The page saysA long, tube-shaped hunter with two sets of razor-sharp teeth that chops big fish in half.
The source saysThe great barracuda has a large mouth containing two sets of razor-sharp teethNote: tagline; chopping in half is the next claim
The page saysa large gape and very sharp teeth let them feed on big fish by chopping them in half
The source saysBarracudas have a large gape and very sharp teeth, enabling them to feed on large fishes by chopping them in half.
The page saysNearshore reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves in tropical and subtropical seas
The source saysGreat barracuda commonly occur in nearshore coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysGreat barracuda live in nearshore tropical and subtropical seas worldwide
The source saysOccurring worldwide in near shore tropical and subtropical seas (30°N – 30°S)
The page saysthe western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, the eastern Atlantic, the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea
The source saysthe great barracuda is common in the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts (U.S.) to Brazil. It is also found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea as well as the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Indo-Pacific, and the Red Sea.
The page saysFish such as jacks, grunts, snappers and mullets
The source saysfishes such as jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, small tunas, mullets, killifishes, herrings, and anchoviesNote: stats.diet
The page saysIt has two sets of teeth: a row of small razor-sharp ones along the outside of the jaw, and a larger set of dagger-like teeth inside them.
The source saysThere is a row of small razor-sharp teeth along the outside of the jaw with a larger set of dagger-like teeth within these.
The page saysthe top speed of the species is estimated at up to 36 mph (58 km/h)
The source saysit is estimated that top speed for the species may be as fast as 36 mph (58 kph)
The page saysThe great barracuda's body plan is designed for speed
The source saysThe body plan of the great barracuda is designed for speed
The page saysBarracuda are generally active by day and find prey largely by sight.
The source saysGenerally a diurnal fish, great barracuda locate their prey largely by sight.
The page saysThey are opportunistic, feeding at any depth in the water.
The source saysAn opportunistic predator, great barracuda feed throughout the water column.
The page saysThey tend to be solitary, though small groups sometimes gather over reefs and sandy bottoms.
The source saysBarracudas tend to be solitary but are sometimes found in small aggregations over reefs and sandy bottoms.
The page saysYoung fish grow up among mangroves and seagrass, then move to deeper reefs in their second year.
The source saysJuveniles mature amongst mangroves and seagrass beds, habitats that offer cover from predators. During the second year of life, barracuda move to deeper reef habitats.
The page saysThe menu includes jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, small tunas and mullets
The source saysfishes such as jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, small tunas, mullets
The page saysthe hook-and-line record as a fish 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) long and 44 kg (103 lb), and says the species is reported to reach 2 meters and 50 kg
The source saysThe record for a hook and line caught great barracuda is 1.7 meters (5.5 feet), 44 kg (103 lbs) and the species is reported to attain a size of 2 meters, 50 kg.
The page saysany barracuda over 1.5 meters counts as very large
The source saysAny barracuda over 4.8 feet (1.5 m) in length can be considered very large.
The page saysScale analysis of large specimens shows they live at least 14 years.
The source saysBased on scale analysis of large specimens, great barracuda have a lifespan of at least 14 years.
The page saysCiguatera is an illness linked to toxins made by tiny marine dinoflagellates that grow attached to marine algae.
The source saysCiguatoxins are produced by marine dinoflagellates that grow attached to marine algae
The page saysPlant-eating fish may swallow them by accident, and large fish-eating reef fish at the top of the food chain become reservoirs for the highest amounts of toxin.
The source saysmay be incidentally ingested by herbivorous fishes. Large piscivorous reef dwelling fishes occupying the apex of the food chain become reservoirs for the highest amounts of ciguatoxin
The page saysThe Florida Museum says the great barracuda has been tied to ciguatera cases in parts of its range
The source saysThe great barracuda has been implicated in cases of ciguatera poisoning within certain areas of its range.
The page saysAttacks are rare
The source saysAttacks on humans by great barracuda are rare.
The page saysand so are deaths
The source saysFatalities from barracuda attacks are rare.
The page saysit is more often than not because the fish is trying to steal a catch from a spearfisher or has mistaken a shiny object, such as a diving knife, for a glinting fish. It usually comes as one very quick strike.
The source saysWhen attacks occur more often than not it is because a barracuda attempts to steal a fish from spearfishers or mistakenly interprets a shiny object, such as a diving knife, for the glint of a shiny fish. Such incidents usually consist of one very quick strike
The page saysThe species is reported to reach 2 meters and 50 kg.
The source saysthe species is reported to attain a size of 2 meters, 50 kg
The page saysThe hook-and-line record measured 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) and weighed 44 kg (103 lb)
The source saysThe record for a hook and line caught great barracuda is 1.7 meters (5.5 feet), 44 kg (103 lbs)
The page saysLarger prey is cut into pieces to be swallowed separately.
The source sayslarger prey is cut into pieces to be swallowed separately
The page saysThe great barracuda is a long, tube-shaped fish with a pointed snout filled with two rows of teeth.
The source saysThis long, tubular fish has a very pointed snout filled with two rows of teeth

Source
02

FishBase

Sphyraena barracuda summary page. FishBase.

The page saysFishBase lists a maximum of 200 cm total length and calls 140 cm common.
The source saysMax length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251 ); common length : 140 cm TL male/unsexed
The page saysFishBase notes it has not been reported as poisonous in the eastern Atlantic.
The source saysit has not been reported to be poisonous in the eastern Atlantic

Source
03

Grubich, Rice & Westneat 2008

Grubich, Rice & Westneat (2008). Functional morphology of bite mechanics in the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda). Zoology.

The page saysA scissor-like bite that cuts prey in two
The source saysproviding for a scissor-like biteNote: stats.superpower
The page saysquick repeated bites with short head shakes cut the prey in two
The source saysrapid repeated bites and short lateral headshakes result in cutting the prey in two
The page saysthe fish hit prey at the corner of the mouth
The source saysprey are impacted at the corner of the mouth during capture
The page saysLarge teeth on a bone at the back of the jaw work against the lower jaw like the blades of scissors
The source saysA robust palatine bone embedded with large dagger-like teeth opposes the mandible at the rear of the jaws providing for a scissor-like bite
The page sayspredicted bite force at the corner of the mouth reached as high as 58 newtons in large fish
The source saysPredicted dynamic force output of the lower jaw nearly doubles from the tip to the corner of the mouth reaching as high as 58 N in large individuals.
The page saysAt the rear of the jaws, a sturdy bone set with big dagger-like teeth meets the lower jaw in a scissor-like bite.
The source saysA robust palatine bone embedded with large dagger-like teeth opposes the mandible at the rear of the jaws providing for a scissor-like bite
The page saysrapid repeated bites and short sideways head shakes cut the prey in two
The source saysrapid repeated bites and short lateral headshakes result in cutting the prey in two
The page saysThe study predicted bite force at the jaw's corner as high as 58 newtons in large fish.
The source saysreaching as high as 58 N in large individuals
The page sayscuts prey in two with quick repeated bites and short shakes of the head
The source saysrapid repeated bites and short lateral headshakes result in cutting the prey in twoNote: vibe.reason

Source
04

Aiken et al. 2015

Aiken et al. (2015). Sphyraena barracuda. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T190399A115319634.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus; assessed 2013, category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.