Details
Centropristis striata
A reef-associated serranid of the U.S. Atlantic coast, popular with anglers and capable of changing from female to male.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Lives along the eastern United States from coastal waters to the shelf, especially around reefs, oyster beds, wrecks, and artificial structures.
The body is dark gray to black, sometimes with blue iridescence on the scales. Large males develop a higher head and extended dorsal fin rays.
It stays close to structure, feeds in small groups, and shifts between inshore and offshore waters seasonally.
It eats crabs, shrimp, mollusks, small fish, and squid, searching around reef crevices and the bottom.
Spawning occurs from spring into summer. The species is known for sex change from female to male within populations.
Black sea bass supports commercial and recreational fisheries on the U.S. Atlantic coast and is managed with harvest regulations.
