Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro

Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro. Fish caught from coastal waters off Rocky Point, Sonora, March 2008. Catch and photograph courtesy of Mike Auditore, Rocky Point, Baja California.

Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro. Fish caught in coastal waters off Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Catch and photograph courtesy of Tadeo Hernandez, Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro. Fish caught from coastal waters off Mazatlán, Sinaloa, March 2018. Length: 30 cm (12 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro. Fish caught from coastal waters off Mazatlán, Sinaloa, March 2022. Length: 32 cm (13 inches). Photograph courtesy of Jason Potts, Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

The Parrot Sand Bass, Paralabrax loro, is a member of the Sea Bass or Serranidae Family, and is known in Mexico as cabrilla cachete amarrilo, lora and zorrillo. Globally, there are nine species in the genus Paralabrax, of which five are found in Mexican waters, all in the Pacific Ocean.

The Parrot Sand Bass has a traditional sand bass shaped body and are fairly easy to identify. Their head is covered with large orange spots and undulating lines. Their body is covered with numerous brown spots; the sides of their body have 7 alternating dark and light bars. All fins are dark spotted with the exception of the pectoral fins, which are yellow and without spots. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 6 to 9 rays; their caudal fin is square; their dorsal fin has 10 spines and 13 or 14 rays; their pectoral fins have 10 rays and are short and square; and, pelvic fins are set behind the pectoral fin base. A key to identification is the third dorsal spine, is greatly elevated and about three times longer than the second spine, and is only slightly longer than the fourth spine (pictured below). They have 17 gill rakers.

The Parrot Bass is found in sand adjacent to rocky structures at depths up to 67 m (220 feet). They reach a maximum 60 cm (2 feet 0 inches) in length 4.0 kg (8 lbs 13 oz) in weight. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.81 kg (4 lbs 0 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Costa Rica in November 2021. They do not undergo a mid-life sex change, however, both sexes are sexually dichromatic during spawning season; adult males have bright orange cheeks and dorsal fins and females have red cheeks and dorsal fins. They consume crabs, fish, octopus and shrimp. The Parrot 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 Parrot Sand Bass is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a very limited range being found only along the coast in the extreme northern portion of the Sea of Cortez south to Guatemala.

The Parrot Sand Bass is most likely confused with the Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebulifer (dark blotches covering 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 Goldspotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax auroguttatus (dense orange spots covering head, body, and fins; 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 bar from eye to gill cover; third dorsal spine three times longer than second spine).

From a conservation perspective the Parrot Sand Bass is currently considered listed as Data Deficient indicative that their populations status and trends have not been evaluated. Although rare, the Parrot Sand Bass is considered to be an excellent food fish when available.