Species: Serranus tortugarum, Chalk Bass

Serranus tortugarum Longley, 1935

Chalk Bass

Body elongate, oval, 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 27-31; dorsal fin X,12; anal fin III, 7; pelvics inserted before pectoral base; pectoral fin 13-15; tail fin with bluntly straight edge, 13-15 branched rays; scales rough, relatively large, 5-6 rows of scales on cheek; 46-50 pored lateral line scales; top of head without scales.

Head and body pale blue-grey, to pinkish brown; 8 thin blue-grey bars across upper body, from behind eye to tail base, those below dorsal fin extend onto that fin; flank with a row of 2-3 pale blotches; fins transparent to pinkish.

Reaches 8 cm.

Sand and rubble areas around reefs.

Depth range: 2- 91 m.

Bahamas to the S Caribbean.

Note: Records at 350-400 m are erroneous