Spotted Seabass

Common length : 30.0 cm Max length : 70.0 cm

Family	Centrarchidae
Description	Sunfishes
Environment	Freshwater
Etymology	Greek, kentron = thorn, sting + Greek, archos = anus
Genus	8
No. of Species	38
Order	Perciformes
Class	Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild	Guarders
Distribution	North America. Anal spines at least 3. Pseudobranch small and hidden. Branchiostegal rays 5-7. Separate gill membranes. To about 83 cm maximum length (reported for Micropterus salmoides). Mostly nest builders. Nest building and guarding done by the male. Valued as sports fish and used in physiological and ecological experiments. Introduced into many areas outside native range.

Coastal species, found in coastal marine and brackish waters. Occurs on various kinds of bottoms, including sand, muddy sand and rocks; occasionally occurring in rivers. Also capable of living in hypersaline habitats (Sine Saloum in Senegal. Feeds mainly on shrimps and mollusks, also fishes.

Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Diagnosis: elongate fish with 2 separate dorsal fins and a rather deep caudal peduncle; vomerine teeth patch anchor-shaped, with the posterior teeth extending to the midline of palate; scales on interorbital space ctenoid; opercle with 2 flat spines; lower preopercular margin with large, forward-pointing spines; caudal fin moderately forked; scales small. Coloration: silvery grey, back bluish in life; juveniles and adults with small dark markings scattered over back and sides; a very distinct black spot on opercle

Summary of Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: English Channel (occasional) southward along the coasts of Europe and Morocco to Senegal and the Canary Islands; also southern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Suez.
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)