Black Sea Bass - Identification Features

Identification Features

• The spiny and soft ray portions of the dorsal fin are continuous, so there is only one long fin instead of two short separate ones as for the wreckfish Polyprion americanus, scup Stenotomus chrysops, rose fish Sebastes marinus, cunner Tautogolabrus adspersus, striped bass Morone saxatilis.
• Rounded caudal fin and pectoral fins, short but high anal fins.
• Compared to a tautog or cunner, its mouth is much larger, also the caudal fin, pectoral fin, and soft portion (11 rays) of dorsal fin as long as spiny portion.
• Compared to a wreckfish, its scales are much larger, the head outline and gill cover are smooth, and the caudal fin is rounded at the edges.
• It is stout-bodied, three times taller than long (without caudal fin), and has a high back, flat topped head, moderately pointed snout, large oblique mouth, eye set up high (not as high as in the above image due to its slightly oblique perspective), and one sharp flat spine near the caudal end of the operculum.
• The dorsal fin originates at the anterior of the caudal end of the operculum, the soft portion of the dorsal fin is more tall than long, the caudal fin is rounded and in adults it is an elongated upper ray, the anal fin originates below the soft portion of the dorsal fin, which it resembles in its rounded shape and being more tall than long.
• The pectoral fin is very long nearly towards the anal fin, rounded (best fieldmark), the pelvic fin is very large, originate posterior of pectoral fin (whereas slightly caudate in scup, rose fish, cunner and striped bass, below in wreckfish).
• Scales are very large, but it is naked at the head, with adult males developing fatty bumps in front of the dorsal fin.

It often rests stationary or cruises slowly around structures. It occasionally rests on the bottom or other structures, staying either head-down or head-up. It enters the smallest corners and caves with a body angle above ground often about 40° down. The dorsal fin is normally folded close to the body, and it is only spread out as an aggressive posture reaction to other sea bass.

• Adult black sea bass being stripped for eggs
• Juveniles
• Black sea bass snack