Serranus tortugarum Longley, 1935
Chalk bass
Serranus tortugarum
photo by Steele, M.A.

 Family:  Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets), subfamily: Serraninae
 Max. size:  8 cm TL (male/unsexed)
 Environment:  reef-associated; depth range 12 - 396 m
 Distribution:  Western Atlantic: southern Florida (USA), Bahamas, Honduras and Virgin Islands; probably widespread in Caribbean reef areas. Including Antilles (Ref. 26938).
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-12
 Biology:  Found over rubble, silty or sandy bottoms (Ref. 9710). Often in small groups hovering over a patch of coral rubble or an old conch shell (Ref. 13442). Feeds on plankton (Ref. 9710). Synchronously hermaphroditic. Difficult to approach (Ref. 9710).
 IUCN Red List Status:   (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Froese, Rainer - 01.05.91
 Modified by: Reyes, Rodolfo B. - 19.08.03
 Checked by: Torres, Armi G. - 13.08.94

Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.


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