Splittail Bass, Hemanthias peruanus
Splittail Bass, Hemanthias peruanus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Mazatlán, Sinaloa, March 2018. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Splittail Bass, Hemanthias peruanus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Point Palmilla, Baja California Sur, October 2013. Length: 34 cm (13 inches).
The Splittail Bass, Hemanthias peruanus, is a member of the Sea Bass or Serranidae Family, that is also known as the Rose Thread-tail Bass and Mexico as antennae and cabrilla doblecola. Globally, there are five species in the genus Hemanthias, of which three are found in Mexican waters, one in the Atlantic and two in the Pacific Ocean. The Splittail 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 Splittail Bass is one of the few bright red fish and are found only in very deep waters. They have a uniform red color and a faint yellow line under their eyes. The sides of their body are pink with yellow blotches and spots. All their fins are pink to orange-red. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 7 to 9 rays; their caudal fin is deeply forked; their dorsal fin has 9 or 10 spines, the third of which is long and filamentous, and 13 to 15 rays; their pectoral fins have 17 or 18 rays; and their pelvic fins are long and extend past the origin of the anal fin. They have 31 to 33 gill rakers. Keys to identification include their caudal fin rays with their long mid-rays and their very elongated filamentous third dorsal fin spine, which gives rise to their common local name, antennae.
The Splittail Bass is found over sandy bottoms at depths between 15 m (50 feet) and 122 m (400 feet). They reach a maximum of 46 cm (18 inches) in length and 1.4 kg (3 lbs 2 oz) in weight. The Splittail 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 Splittail Bass is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The Splittail Bass is straightforward to identify although some might confuse it with the Hookthroat Bass, Hemanthias signifer (has elongated pelvic fins, and a caudal fin that is not as deeply forked with longer external rays).
From a conservation perspective the Splittail 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 by recreational anglers.