Species: Serranus baldwini, Lantern Bass

Serranus baldwini (Evermann & Marsh, 1899)

Lantern Bass

Body elongate, moderately compressed; snout shorter than eye; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without accessory bone above it; 3 opercular spines well developed, middle spine large and straight; preopercle regularly serrated, no spur with enlarged spines; gill rakers 14-18; dorsal fin X, 10; anal fin III, 7; pelvics inserted before pectoral base; pectoral fin 13-17; tail with slightly concave edge, 13-15 branched rays; scales very rough, relatively large, 6-7 rows of scales on cheek; 42-48 pored lateral line scales; top of head without scales.

Head and front 2/3 of upper body dark brown, with pale mottling; belly, rear of body and tail base white, belly with 4 orange-brown bars and an orange stripe along flank; tail fin with 2 vertical rows of black spots - one of 2 spots at fin base, the other of 4 spots behind that; tips of dorsal fin spines black.

Reaches 7.4 cm.

Reef associated - sand bottoms with rubble and seagrass.

Depth range: 1-80 m.

North Carolina to Brazil.