Male
Dark spot at base of pectoral fin
Female
-margin of tail is straight on
BOTH, male and female.
White belly spot with
Dark bar on gill cover reddish line markings

Male All have rounded tail.
Juvenile
Dark spot at midbody.
Female
With bars on body.

Dark, tiger-like bars
-Upper body has a whitish under color.
-Lower body is a pale yellow.
-Head is more pointed than other types
of sea basses.

Two dorsal fins set far back.
Two barbels on upper lip.
-Vary in color.

-mainly all fins EXCEPT dorsal fins
are tipped black. (note the ovals)
-first dorsal fin smaller and starts
behind pectoral fin. (note purple line)
-Gill slits small and just above the
pectoral fin.

Dorsal fin begins above the
mid-pectoral fin.
Small eyes.
Short snout.

Dorsal fins almost equal size.
Short, blunt, rounded snout.

Front edge of
“hammer”
slightly curved
and not deeply
scalloped.
Rear edge of ventral fin curved.