Species: Caraibops trispinosus, Threespine Bass

Caraibops trispinosus (Mochizuki & Sano, 1984)

Threespine Bass

Body elongate, tapering, body depth 21-27% of 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 jaws with 1 pair of canines at front, then bands of simple teeth, lower jaw with 1-2 pairs of canines at front, then simple teeth, also with canines at sides; preopercle with weak serrations, 2 small keels at lower rear edge; rear of opercle with 1-2 flat points; gill membranes separate, free from underside of head; gill rakers 17-20; dorsal fin VIII + I, 10, a distinct gap between the 2 sections; anal fin III, 8-9 rays; front edge of pelvic spines serrated, other fin spines smooth; tail fin forked; pectorals longer than pelvics; scales large, smooth, easily shed; scales on cheeks, operculum with or without scales; lateral line continuous, with 46-51 tubed scales.

Preserved fish: pale yellow-brown; a dark stripe along side immediately below lateral line, which has a row of black dots along its top and bottom edges; a silvery brown blotch on operculum.

Reaches 13.7 cm.

Near and above the bottom over deep water reefs.

Depth range: 36-550 m.

Gulf of Mexico to Suriname.