Species: Serranus flaviventris, Twinspot Bass

Serranus flaviventris (Cuvier, 1829)

Twinspot 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 straight; preopercle regularly serrated, no spur with enlarged spines; gill rakers 15-18; dorsal fin X,12-13; anal fin III, 6-8; pelvics inserted before pectoral base; pectoral fin 16-17; tail with bluntly staight edge, 13-15 branched rays; scales very rough, relatively large, 6-7 rows of scales on cheek; 39-44 pored lateral line scales; top of head without scales.

Head and body pale brown, with a dense scattering of small dark brown spots; rear of belly with a bright white bar; base of tail fin with 2 prominent black & clear ocelli; spiny dorsal fin with a large black blotch at the front, a small one behind, 2 smaller blotches on the soft dorsal.

Reaches 7.5 cm.

Reef associated; rocky areas with sand & rubble; seagrasses; sand and sand/mud bottoms.

Depth range: 2-402 m.

The SE Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil.