THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

in southern California; their bones have been
found in Indian middens.
Peach Fairy Basslet
Pseudanthias dispar (Serranidae)
Sea Basses: Groupers and Fairy Basslets
Distribution: East Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Upper edge of steep reef slopes.
Appearance: Sexes dichromatic. Male: orange
to yellow body, lavender to pink head and
bright red dorsal fin. Female: orange to peach
upper head, body, and fins; 2 narrow lavenderyellowish
bars extend from eye to pectoral fin.
Max. size: 9.5 cm.
Diet: Zooplankton. Occur in large feeding
aggregations of mixed sexes, usually more
females than males, 1–3 m above the substrate,
picking plankton from currents that sweep
the reef.
Reproduction and Development: Protogynous
hermaphrodites. If a dominant male dies, the
largest female of the group will change sex to
take its place.
Mortality/Longevity: These small fish are
snack food for many larger predators.
Remarks: Males erect dorsal fin as courtship
display.
Anthias gather in huge schools of hundreds.
Schools are made up of smaller “harems”
consisting of a single dominant male, a few
non-dominant males, and many females.
Red-cheeked Fairy Basslet
Pseudanthias huchtii (Serranidae)
Sea Basses: Groupers and Fairy Basslets
Distribution: Western Central Pacific: common
in the Philippines and Indonesia.
Habitat: Coral outcrops of clear outer reef
slopes, where the species may be found in large
aggregations.
Appearance: Males have prominent orange
stripe from the eye to the middle of the pectoral
fin; wide maroon band on the outer margin
of the pelvic fin. Females and juveniles are
greenish-yellow. Max. length: 12 cm.
Diet: Zooplankton.
Reproduction and Development: All
Pseudanthias spp. are thought to be protogynous
hermaphrodites. Broadcast spawners; fertilized
California Academy of Sciences
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eggs remain part of the zooplankton until they
hatch, metamorphose, and settle.
Mortality/Longevity: Life span: 5 years or
more.
Remarks: Pseudanthias spp. often congregate
near or just above the reef wall for feeding,
where strong currents deliver food to both
corals and fish. Typically these little fish face
into the current and swim at a stay-in-place
speed. If the current changes, the shoal turns
as well.
Lori’s Anthias
Pseudanthias lori (Serranidae)
Sea Basses: Groupers and Fairy Basslets
Distribution: West-Central Pacific.
Habitat: Near caves or ledges of steep outer
reefs, 7-70 m. Typically in small groups.
Appearance: Length to 12 cm. Laterally
compressed body. Orange-pink body, usually
with 4 reddish semi-bands below the posterior
segment of the dorsal fin.
Diet: Zooplankton.
Reproduction and Development: Females
change sex into males for their terminal phase.
Squarespot Anthias aka Squarespot Fairy
Basslet
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia (Serranidae)
Sea Basses: Groupers and Fairy Basslets
Distribution: Indonesia to Samoa, north
to Ryukyus, Japan and south to New
Caledonia.
Habitat: Steep, current-swept seaward drop
offs, 10–180 m, but typically below 25 m
depth.
Appearance: Length to 20 cm. Sexually
dichromatic. Male is orange-red to magenta,
one large violet square on each side of its
body (thus the common name), elongate third
dorsal spine. Coloration and size of “square”
highly variable among individuals; female
less colorful.
Diet: Small crustaceans and fish eggs.
Reproduction and Development: All begin
life as females. Males are sexually reversed
females. Sex reversal is socially controlled.
Remarks: Usually in small (6–30 individuals)