Chalk Bass
| Name: | Chalk Bass |
| Scientific Name: | Serranus tortugarum |
| Family: | Sea Basses |
| Taxonomic: | Serranidae |
| ID Group: | Groupers, Sea Basses, Basslets |
| Size: | 1.5 - 3 in. |
| Depth Range: | In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Not usually seen |
The Chalk Bass has a bluish-gray to pinkish-brown body with a pale underside, and its upper body is marked by 7 to 10 dark vertical bars. Its fins are translucent or pale.
The Chalk Bass can be seen hovering over sandy patches and rocky rubble in shallow water and is somewhat cautious. It feeds during the day on tiny crustaceans and zooplankton. It has both male and female reproductive organs at the same time and can take turns acting as either male or female during spawning.