Species: Synagrops bellus, Blackmouth Bass

Synagrops bellus (Goode & Bean, 1896)

Blackmouth Bass

Body elongate, tapering, body depth 26-33% SL, distinctly < head length; snout very short; eye huge; broad and flat between eyes; mouth large, bone of top jaw expanded at rear & largely exposed when mouth is closed, ends ~under mid-eye; top and bottom jaws with 1 pair of canines at front, then bands of simple teeth, lower jaw also with canines at sides; preopercle with few strong teeth or smooth, with 2-3 small keels on outer part at lower rear edge; rear of opercle with 1-2 flat points; gill membranes separate, free from underside of head; gill rakers: 19-26, total 15-19; dorsal fin IX + I, 9, a distinct gap >4%SL between the 2 sections; anal fin II, 7; no fin spines serrated; tail fin forked; pectorals longer than pelvics; scales large, smooth, easily shed; scales on cheeks, operculum with or without scales; lateral line continuous, with 28-31 tubed scales.

Head, body and fins sooty black; eye with orange-yellow iris; sides with dark chevron marks formed by black scale edges; inside mouth and gill chamber pale.

Reaches 46 cm.

Near and above the bottom on deep water reefs.

Depth range: 60 -1174 m, usually below 100 m.

W Atlantic; Canada to Brazil.

Note: unconfirmed records from W Africa.