Smithsonian scientists discover new sea bass species

Larva of the newly discovered sea bass species (Credit: Cedric Guigand, University of Miami)

Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution’s Deep Reef Observation Project have discovered a new sea bass species near Curacao in the southern Caribbean, according to a Smithsonian press release.

Liopropoma santi has a yellow-hued body and fins, and lives in coral reefs at depths of 182 to 241 meters. A dark spot decorates part of the fish’s tail fin, and its discovering scientists have proposed the common name “spot-tail golden bass.”

Scientists Carole Baldwin and D. Ross Robertson discovered the species using a manned submersible, the Curasub. The Curasub is designed to explore areas too deep for scuba divers, but too shallow for traditional submersibles.

Image: Larva of the newly discovered sea bass species (Credit: Cedric Guigand, University of Miami)