Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebulifer
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Los Angeles, California, March 2013. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer. Fish caught from waters within San Diego Bay, San Diego, California, July 2016. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer. Fish caught from coastal waters off Punta Abreojos, Baja California Sur, May 2016. Length 38 cm (15 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California. Note the interesting tear drops flowing from the eyes.
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer. Fish caught from coastal waters off Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur, April 2016. Length: 38 cm (15 inches).
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer. Fish caught from coastal waters off Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur, March 2017. Length: 40 cm (16 inches).
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebuilifer. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters off La Jolla, California, October 2016. Photograph courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.
The Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebulifer, is a member of Sea Bass or Serranidae Family, and is known in Mexico as cabrilla verde de arena. Globally, there are nine species in the genus Paralabrax, of which five are found in Mexican waters, all in the Pacific Ocean.
The Barred Sand Bass has a slender body with a pointed head. They are overall greenish-gray in color being lighter ventrally. The upper two-thirds of their body and tail base are covered with dusky blotches. Their heads are covered with small gold-brown spots. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 7 rays; the caudal fin is square, their dorsal fin has ten spines (a key to identification is the third dorsal spine being the longest and is two and a half times longer than the second spine and longer than the fourth spine; their second dorsal fin has 13 to 15 rays; their pectoral fins has 17 or 18 rays and is rounded; and, their pelvic fins are under or slightly behind the pectoral fins. They have 16 to 18 lower gill rakers. They are covered with small rough scales.
The Barred Sand Bass is found in sand adjacent to rocky structures at depths up to 183 m (600 feet). They reach a maximum of 65 cm (26 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 6.0 kg (13 lbs 3 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Huntington Beach, California in August 1988. The Barred San 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 Barred Sand Bass in a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific but has a limited distribution being found along the entire Pacific coast of Baja and from Loreto to Cabo San Lucas along the East Coast of Baja California Sur.
The Barred Sand Bass is most likely confused with 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); 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 Barred Sand Bass is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. It is an important component of the recreational catch along coastal northern Baja and is considered to be an excellent food fish, however, it is exceedingly rare in southern Baja.