Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus

Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus, Juvenile. Fish caught out from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, June 2024. Length: 23 cm (9.0 inches).

Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus. Both fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, April 2015. Length: 22 cm (8.7 inches) and 37 cm (14.6 inches) respectfully. Note the significant change in body depth with maturity. Catches and photographs courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.

Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus. Fish caught out from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, April 2016. Length: 47 cm (19 inches).

Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Point Palmilla, Baja California Sur, September 2013. Length: 48 cm (19 inches).

The Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus, is a member of the Sea Bass or Serranidae Family, and is known in Mexico as cabrilla extranjera. Globally, there are nine species in the genus Paralabrax, of which five are found in Mexican waters, all in the Pacific Ocean.

The Goldspotted Sand Bass is very easy to identify, as they are characterized by numerous golden-orange and brown spots covering their entire bodies, which are especially prominent between their eyes, on the upper jaw and on their cheeks. The insides of their mouth and of their gill covers are orange. They have three white lines on their upper body; the largest one is in the middle and closely follows the lateral line. Their pectoral fins are yellow. Their anal fin has 3 spines, with the second spine being strong, and 7 rays; their caudal fin can be concave, square or rounded; their dorsal fin has 10 spines, the first is 3 times longer than the second, and 13 or 14 rays; their pectoral fins have 13 rays; and, their pelvic fins, with the first spine being strong, are under the pectoral fin base.

The Goldspotted Sand Bass is found in and around rocky and coral reefs at depths between 30 m (100 feet) and 152 m (500 feet). They reach a maximum of 71 cm (28 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 4.6 kg (10 lbs 4 oz) with the fish caught off the Thetis Bank, Baja California Sur, in November 2006. The Goldspotted Sand Bass 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 Goldspotted Sand Bass is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Pacific with the exception that they are absent form Cedros Island, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

The Goldspotted Sand Bass is similar to and can be confused with the  Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebulifer (dark blotches on upper two-thirds of body and tail base; third dorsal spine two and a half times longer than second spine); the Calico Bass, Paralabrax clathratus (yellow spots covering forehead; third and fourth dorsal spines of equal length); the Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro (orange spots and lines covering head; seven dark bars on the sides; third dorsal spine three times longer than second spine); and the Spotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus (numerous black, brown, and orange spots covering body; dark band from eye to gill cover; third dorsal spine three times longer than second spine).

From a conservation perspective the Goldspotted Sand Bass is currently considered listed as Data Deficient indicative that their populations status and trends have not been evaluated. They considered to be an excellent food fish being fairly common in the central Sea of Cortez but a rare catch by hook and line in the greater Los Cabos area.