Max Size: 60cm (2 ft)
Habitat: Inshore waters, bays, and sounds, from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico
Diet: Crabs, shrimp, smaller fish
Fun Facts:
- Black sea bass are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that they start out as females. Seabass will swim in groups called ‘harems’ with a single dominant male who mates with the rest of the group, who are all female. When the dominant male dies, a female of the group will change sex and take the male’s place.
- Distinguished from Blackfish by their larger mouths, fins, and eyes relative to body-size, a more streamlined body shape, and sometimes a thick horizontal band along their lateral line which blackfish never exhibit
- Like most bass, their teeth are tiny, forming rough pads that help them to grip their food as they swallow it whole.
