Genus: Acanthistius, Sea-Basses
ACANTHISTIUS
SEA-BASSES
Elongate, compressed; mouth large; jaws with inner rows of small, slender teeth, and outer row of canines; teeth at front and center of roof of mouth; a small supramaxilla bone above main bone (maxilla) of top jaw; preopercle serrated, with 2-3 large forward pointing spines on its lower edge; operculum with 3 strong spines; no scaly flap of skin over upper end of pectoral base; dorsal fin with XI spines; tail fin with bluntly straight edge, with 15 branched rays; most pectoral rays branched; scales small to medium sized; lateral line complete, tubes with branches; lateral line scales distinct, about equal sized to neighboring scales.
A tropical to warm temperate genus with 10 species found in the Indo-west Pacific, the SE Pacific and both sides of the south Atlantic. One warm temperate species endemic to the eastern Pacific extends into the southern fringe of our region.
