Moronidae and Serranidae1
Family Moronidae
• Temperate Basses• Local species:
o Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
o Wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)
Morone saxatilis
Moronidae and Serranidae2
Moronidae Characteristics
• Easily distinguished by two spines on the operculumo Body compressed laterally, large mouth
and ctenoid scaleso Tail is usually deeply forked, never
hermaphrodites
• Commonly broken into 2 different families: Moronidae and Acropomatidae
Moronidae and Serranidae3
Striped Bass
• Anadromous specieso A large percentage of the eastern U.S.
population depends on the Chesapeake water shed for spawning
Moronidae and Serranidae4
Striped Bass released in the Cape Fear
Moronidae and Serranidae5
Wreckfish
• Commercially importanto Found on both
sides of the Atlantic
Moronidae and Serranidae6
Family Serranidae
• Sea Basses• Common species:
o Scamp (Mycteroperca phenax)
o Gag (Mycteroperca microlepis)
o Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)
o Warsaw Grouper (Epinephelus nigritus)
Moronidae and Serranidae7
Serranidae Characteristics
• Large piscivores that associate with temperate and tropical reefs
• Important food fisho Top predators
may be ciguatoxic
• Distinguished by:o Large mouth and
a heavy heado 3 spines on the
operculumo 3 spines in the
anal fin o Usually
hermaphroditic
Moronidae and Serranidae8
Ciguatera
• Condition caused by the ingestion of toxic fish flesho Symptoms
• Causative organism is a dinoflagellate called Gambierdiscus toxicus which can bloom in high numbers
Moronidae and Serranidae9
So are you a guy or a girl?
• Sequential hermaphroditeo Sex change
occurs:o Females - Males
Protogyny or protogynous
o Males - Females Protandrous or protandry
• Simultaneous hermaphroditeo Contains both
ovaries and testes
Moronidae and Serranidae10
Serranidae
Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)
Moronidae and Serranidae11
Serranidae
Gag (Mycteroperca microlepis)
Adult
Juvenile
Moronidae and Serranidae12
Serranidae
Scamp (Mycteroperca phenax)
Adult
Juvenile
Moronidae and Serranidae13
Serranidae
Sand Perch (Diplectrum formosum)
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