Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer
Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer. Fish caught from coastal waters of Los Barriles, Baja California Sur, January 2020. Length: 32 cm (13 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of Chip Shapley, Los Bariles.
Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer. Fish caught out of coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, April 2016. Length: 34 cm (13 inches).
Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer. Fish caught out of coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, April 2016. Length: 28 cm (11 inches). Note the rounded forward projecting spine of the above fish that forms an underslung “hook” on the ventral side of the urohyal bone on the throat region for which it is named. This bone is more prominent in larger fish, as presented in the photograph below.
Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer. Fish caught out of coastal waters off the Gordo Banks, Baja California Sur, December 2022. Length: 32 cm (13 inches). es). Note the “hook” on the urohyal bone on the throat region.
Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer. Fish caught out of coastal waters off the Gordo Banks, Baja California Sur, December 2022. Length: 32 cm (13 inches). es). Note the “hook” on the urohyal bone on the throat region.
The Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer, is a member of the Sea Bass or Serranidae Family, that is also known as the Damsel Bass and in Mexico as antennae and cabrilla doncella. They are named for the rounded forward projecting spine that forms an underslung “hook” on the ventral side of the urohyal bone on the throat region. Globally, there are five species in the genus Hemanthias, three of which are found in Mexican waters, one in the Atlantic and two in the Pacific Ocean. The Hookthroat Bass is a member of the Anthias Family, a subfamily of Serranidae, that makes up the majority of the pink, orange, red, and yellow reef fish seen swarming in most coral reef photography and film.
The Hookthroat Bass is one of the few bright red fish and found only in relatively deep water. They have a uniform red color and are characterized by their forked caudal fin, which features exterior rays longer than the other rays, and a hook-like spine at the front of their throat joining their gill cover. The sides of their body are pink with yellow tinges and their gill covers have yellow spots. All their fins are red with orange-red tips. They have an elongated filamentous third dorsal fin spine, which gives rise to their common local name, antennae and they have long pelvic fins.
The Hookthroat Bass is found over rocky reefs at depths between 30 m (100 feet) and 274 m (900 feet). They can reach a maximum of 42 cm (17 inches) in length and 1.4 kg (3 lbs 0 oz) in weight. As of October 30, 2022, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 0.79 kg (1 lbs 12 oz) with the fish caught by my good friend Chris Wheaton in Bahia Solano, Choco, Columbia, May 2022. The Hookthroat Bass is a deep-water species that is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Hookthroat Bass is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from the extreme northern portions of the Sea of Cortez.
The Hookthroat Bass is straightforward to identify although some might confuse it with the Splittail Bass, Hemanthias peruanus (caudal fin deeply forked with longer middle rays).
From a conservation perspective the Hookthroat Bass is currently considered to be of Least Concern, with stable widely distributed populations. They are sold in local fish markets and are considered by locals to be an excellent food fish, however, they are a rare catch by hook and line.