41 replies to this topic

[drbill]

I think I already have suggested a SD event here, DBD.

Went in for two dives today. Ended up doing four. First dive I was too distracted by some personal matters. I didn't even feel I was diving safely since I swam past the stern of the Sujac and out of the park on the first dive. Didn't see a thing- too much into my own mind. Not good.

Next three dives were fantastic. In addition to a number of black sea bass encounters (courting pair, single male, single female, larger single male) on all three (one stayed with me the entire 25-30 minutes of the last dive and right under the drop down buoys).... I had a juvenile abalone, interacting garibaldis, giant keyhole limpet, lime green giant kelpfish, etc., etc.

By the end of this season (late Oct) I should have enough black sea bass footage for a boring 5-6 hour epic film.

[dustbowl diver]

I think I already have suggested a SD event here, DBD.

I am certain that you have, but since the planning period for '06 is underway, sounds like a great place to go. As suggested, when and if I can swing a trip that direction, who knows, perhaps I'll give you heads up!!

Until then.

[jextract]

Great trip report, Twink! I'm so sorry that I couldn't join you guys over there - life's been pretty hectic lately.

[Hipshot]

Heck, we've got plenty of black sea bass here in the Northeast. Ours are related to the grouper (family Serranidae). The scientific name is Centropristis striata. Check out the link below.

Black Sea Bass

Last week, I saw a bunch of them on the Atlantic Beach Artificial Reef, off Long Island, approximately 3 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean.

Rick



You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the people you need to concentrate on.
--Robert Strauss

[drbill]

Hipshot- those aren't black sea bass, these are!

[drdiver]

What is the scientific name of your black sea bass, drbill?

[drbill]

What is the scientific name of your black sea bass, drbill?

Stereolepis gigas which means giant firm scales.

Here is one I photographed last weekend missing its right operculum. Despite that he was still courting his sweetie! Some day I'll get to do that (the courting, not losing my operculum)!

Attached Images

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Edited by drbill, 12 September 2005 - 11:11 PM.

[drdiver]

Interesting looking fish. Significant divergence from the groupers?

[drbill]

They are members of the same family (the sea basses).

[drdiver]

Fish base has them in them in the Polyprionidae, whereas the other groupers are in the Serranidae. Still Perciformes though. The Pacific has just such incredible diversity. I regret I can't dive it more often.

Edited by drdiver, 13 September 2005 - 10:43 AM.

[drdiver]

Found an interesting article discussing phylogeny in your black sea bass and with the Centropristis.

Stereoleptis is more closely related to Epinephelus than it is to Centropristis although all are deeply branched from one another. Very interesting stuff.

http://departments.o.....20al 2003.pdf

(pasting the URL because it defaults to microsoft if I use the http:// tool)

Edited by drdiver, 13 September 2005 - 10:48 AM.

[drbill]

Fish base has them in them in the Polyprionidae, whereas the other groupers are in the Serranidae.

I stand corrected... my primary source says the same. Interesting. Just goes to show what can happen when a marine phycologist tries to evolve into an ichthyologist! But then family categorization is still somewhat subject!

Edited by drbill, 13 September 2005 - 01:35 PM.