Spotted sand bass
(Paralabrax maculatofasciatus)
General data
The spotted bay bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea bass from the subfamily Serraninae, classified as part of the family Serranidae which includes the groupers and anthias. It is found in the central eastern Pacific Ocean.
Description
The spotted sand bass has an elongate, compressed body which has a standard length which is 3.0-3.3 times its depth. It has a pointed head with a large mouth. The edges of the preopercle is finely serrated. The dorsal fin has 10 spines, the third spine being greatly elongated, and 13-14 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded or concave.
The overall colour of the body is tan with many black, brown and orange spots which meld together to create dark, vertical bars along the posterior of the ventral surface. There is a dark line that runs from the eye to the operculum and there are 6 or 7 in dark lines on the flanks. The anal, caudal, and the soft part of the dorsal fins are covered in a dense pattern of spots.[4] The spotted sand bass has a maximum published total length of 67 centimetres (26 in) with a maximum weight of 6.0 kilograms (13.2 lb).
Distribution
The spotted sand bass is found in the central eastern Pacific Ocean. It is found in southern California, as far north as Monterey Bay but it is rare north of Santa Monica Bay, south to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico, although historically it was found as far south as Mazatlan.
