BIOLOGY OF THE PYGMY SEA BASS, SERRANICULUS PUMILIO 



(PISCES: SERRANIDAE) 



Robert W. Hastings^ 



ABSTRACT 



During the period from 1968 to 1971, numerous specimens of Serraniculus pumilio, were 

 collected in shallow waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. This paper presents biological 

 data accumulated from these and other specimens in the fish collection of Florida State 

 University and from scattered literature references regarding the species. The range 

 of S. pumilio extends from North Carolina along the continental margin of the western 

 Atlantic Ocean to Guyana, but it apparently does not occur in the West Indies. It has 

 been collected at depths from 1 to 117 m, usually over sand or shell bottoms near coral 

 or rock reefs or accumulations of mollusk shells. Individuals move about considerably, 

 although they spend much time resting on the bottom. S. pumilio is a synchronous 

 hermaphrodite, but pairs mate to exchange gametes and self-fertilization probably never 

 occurs. Spawning occurs between March and August or September in the northern Gulf 

 of Mexico. A length-frequency distribution of specimens collected in the northern Gulf 

 is presented to show the growth rate of first year fish. Juveniles (15-20 mm SL) which 

 appear inshore in September reach a size of 50-55 mm by the following June. Most fish 

 move offshore to deeper water for the winter (January and February) and individuals 

 larger than 55 mm apparently never appear inshore. Small crustaceans are the most 

 important food items. 



Since the pygmy sea bass, Serraniculus pumilio, 

 was described in 1952 by Ginsburg, virtually 

 nothing has been added to our knowledge of the 

 species except for a few brief notes in general 

 surveys of fishes. During a study of reef fishes 

 in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 1968 to 1971, 

 numerous specimens of Serraniculus were col- 

 lected and notes were taken on their biology. The 

 present paper is a synopsis of the information 

 scattered in the literature and the new data ac- 

 cumulated during this study. 



The generic allocation of the species used in 

 this paper is tentative. Robins and Starck 

 (1961) briefly discussed the characteristics of 

 the genus Serraniculus but did not include the 

 species in their review of the genus Serranus. 

 Ginsburg (1952) noted that Serraniculus and 

 Dules differ from Serranus in having six rather 



' Department of Biological Science, Florida State Uni- 

 versity, Tallahassee, FL 32306; present address: De- 

 partment of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 

 08102. 



Manuscript accepted February 1972. 



FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 71, NO. I, 1973. 



than seven branchiostegal rays, and that Dules 

 differs from the other two genera in having the 

 third dorsal spine greatly prolonged. After sub- 

 sequent study Robins (personal communica- 

 tion) believes that Serraniculus is inseparable 

 from Dules, but because Dules itself is so close 

 to Serranus, he recommends no change until a 

 morphological study of a wider range of ser- 

 ranid genera can be completed. According to 

 Robins, Serraniculus pumilio and Dules auriga 

 are distinct species. 



METHODS 



During the present study, 106 specimens of 

 Serraniculus pumilio [15.8-54.1 mm standard 

 length (SL)] were collected. Most of these (75) 

 were collected at East Pass of Choctawhatchee 

 Bay near Destin, Fla, where biweekly or monthly 

 observations were made between June 1968 and 

 December 1970. Others were collected from St. 

 Andrew Bay near Panama City, from Apalachi- 

 cola Bay, and from AlHgator Harbor, Fla. A 



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