Family: POLYPRIONIDAE, Seabasses

FAMILY POLYPRIONIDAE

SEABASSES

Large fishes (to 2.2 m); body oblong, compressed; mouth large, top jaw exposed; teeth simple, small, no canines, in bands on jaws, on tongue and front and sides of roof of mouth; operculum with 1-2 spines; preopercle serrated, more strongly so in juveniles; one dorsal fin, notched with XI-XII strong spines, 9-12 rays; anal fin III spines, 8-10 rays; pelvic fins larger than pectorals in juveniles; tail fin edge straight (rounded in juveniles); scales small, rough, covering body, head (except for snout), and top jaw.

A family of temperate to tropical marine basses found in the Pacific and Atlantic There are two genera and about 9 species. One Pacific genus has a temperate north-eastern Pacific species that enters the northern part of our region.