SERRANINAE & LATIDAE
Sea basses are a group of large, predatory fish that are found in a variety of marine environments around the world. They can range in size from a few inches to over six feet in length, and have a distinctive, elongated body shape with a large mouth and sharp teeth.
Sea basses are typically gray or brown in color, with darker mottled or striped patterns.
Sea basses are found in a variety of marine habitats, including coral reefs, lagoons, and deep offshore waters. They are found in many locations around the world, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Some specific locations where sea basses are commonly found include the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of California.
Sea basses are opportunistic predators, feeding on a wide range of prey, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. They are known to hunt using a combination of stealth and ambush, lurking in the shadows and pouncing on unsuspecting prey.
They are also known to cooperate with other sea basses in hunting, with some species forming hunting groups or “cooperatives”.
Sea basses are generally solitary animals, with each individual fish establishing and defending its own territory. However, they are also known to exhibit complex social behaviors, such as forming hierarchies and forming spawning aggregations.
During spawning, large numbers of sea basses will gather together to release eggs and sperm into the water.
Sea basses are members of the family Serranidae, which also includes groupers and anthias. There are over 100 species of sea bass, which are divided into several genera, including Dicentrarchus, Morone, and Centropristis.
Within these genera, there are many different species, each with its own unique appearance and behavior.
Some of the most well-known species include the European Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), the Asian Sea bass (Lates calcarifer), and perhaps the most popular, the Black Sea bass (Centropristis striata).
