Family: Synagropidae, Splitfin Ocean Bass, Splitfin Ocean Basses

FAMILY SYNAGROPIDAE

SPLITFIN OCEAN BASSES

A family of small to large fishes (up to 80 cm, 10 kg in our area); body oblong, elongate, depth </= head; eye huge; broad and flat between eyes; mouth large, rear bone of top jaw expanded at rear & largely exposed when mouth is closed, ends ~under mid-eye; broad and flat between eyes; rear of opercle with 1-2 flat points or several sharp spines; gill membranes separate, free from underside of head; dorsal fin VIII-IX + 0-I, 7-10, a distinct gap between the 2 sections; anal fin II-III, 6-9 rays; tail fin forked; pectorals longer than pelvics; scales rough or smooth; scales on cheeks, operculum with or without scales; lateral line continuous or interrupted, 25-55 tubed scales + 3-5 on tail fin.

Atlantic and Indo-west Pacific, with 4 genera and 10 species, 3 from 3 genera in the Greater Caribbean.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON AND RODOLFO CLARO, AFTER HEEMSTRA (2002)