Spotted sand bass

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Spotted sand bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus)

Description
The spotted sand bass, also known as bay bass, is a marine ray-finned fish in the grouper family (Serranidae). It has an elongated, compressed body. The standard length is about three times the depth. It has a pointed head, a large mouth, and finely serrated edges on the gill cover area. The dorsal fin has 10 spines (the third spine is noticeably long) and 13–14 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. The tail fin is rounded or slightly concave. Color is tan with many black, brown, and orange spots that blend into dark vertical bars on the rear underside. A dark line runs from the eye to the gill cover, and there are several dark lines along the sides. The fins are densely spotted. It can reach up to about 67 cm (26 in) in length and up to about 6 kg (13.2 lb) in weight.

Distribution
The spotted sand bass lives in the central eastern Pacific Ocean. It ranges from southern California (south to Baja California in Mexico) and is rare north of Santa Monica Bay. Historically, it occurred further south to Mazatlán. It is part of the Paralabrax genus and is one of the more derived species in that group.

Habitat and biology
This species favors shallow, warm-water areas such as bays, harbors, and sheltered coastlines with some structure (like eelgrass, surfgrass, or rocks). It is carnivorous, feeding mainly on crustaceans, bivalves, and small fishes. Spawning occurs from May to September, with females releasing eggs into the water column. The pelagic larvae stay in the water for about a month before settling. Spotted sand bass are protogynous hermaphrodites (females can become males) and they tend to hunt during the day, though they are somewhat secretive.

Taxonomy
The species was first described in 1868 as Serranus maculatofasciatus by the Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner, with Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico as the type locality. It is a member of the genus Paralabrax and is the sister species of the barred sand bass (Paralabrax nebulifer).

Utilization
Spotted sand bass is an important quarry species for recreational game fisheries, especially in bays and harbors. It can also be caught as bycatch in some regions, such as the Gulf of California.

Conservation status
It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.