4 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Series 4, Volume 65, 28 Sept. 2018, No. 1 
species of Serranus and Mentiperca (as well as numerous other serranid genera) and a phylogenetic 
analysis using a variety of osteological, myological, and external characters. It contains a wealth 
of original information not elsewhere available and the bibliography is comprehensive to that time. 
Serranus (Paracentropristis) accraensis (Norman, 1931) 
Figure 1 
Neanthias accraensis Norman, 1931 (holotype BMNH 1930.8.26.28; Accra, Ghana). Fowler 1936:1292- 
1293, fig. 550; 1357 (compiled). Poll 1954:78-81, fig. 23 (Gabon to Angola; 50-75 m). 
Novanthias accraensis : Whitley 1937:122 (replacement name for genus Neanthias, preoccupied by Neanthias 
Rye, 1881). 
Serranus sanctae-helenae (non Boulenger 1895): Poll 1948:225. 
Serranus accraensis : Robins and Starck 1961:259. Smith 1981:703-704. Heemstra and Anderson 2016:2406. 
Diagnosis.— D X,12; A III,7; P 16-17; V III,7; gill rakers 6-8+13-15 (20-23 total); pored lat¬ 
eral-line scales 43^48; circumpeduncular scales 22-23. Upper lobe of caudal fin ending in a short 
filamentous streamer produced beyond tip of lower lobe. Rim of tube-like anterior nostril elevated 
to a flap posteriorly and fringed at tip. Two diagonal bluish stripes on side of head, one behind eye, 
the other below eye running from snout to margin of opercle. A faint broad stripe below lateral line, 
usually broken into a series of 4-7 bands or blotches, the bands (often indistinct) extending from 
dorsal profile to a mid-lateral position; the band or blotch below the 7 th and 8 th dorsal spines usu¬ 
ally darkest, although that on caudal peduncle forming a dark blotch in some specimens. 
Description. — Body compressed and moderately slender; greatest depth under origin of 
dorsal fin about one-third SL; head length 35-37% of SL. Snout rather short, its length subequal 
to orbit diameter; dorsal profile of snout with mouth tightly closed attaining a slope of approxi¬ 
mately 45 degrees from the horizontal; the profile leveling off over orbits and rising slightly over 
body; the ventral profile of body forming a gentle uniform curve from lower jaw to base of caudal 
fin. Jaws equal, the upper jaw extending almost to vertical through midorbit. Anterior nostril a short 
tube, the posterior rim with 4-6 slender fingerlike cirri. Three short flat spines on opercle, the 
uppermost scarcely visible below the overriding scale, the second best developed, the third small 
and inconspicuous. Preopercle margin armed with small serrations along entire free margin in 
adults, but reduced or absent ventrally in young; spines at angle usually slightly enlarged. 
Premaxillary teeth with two short canines in a cluster of teeth near tip of jaw, followed by 
smaller conical teeth posteriorly, and flanked medially by a narrow inner band of small teeth. 
Dentary teeth composed of 4-6 short recurved and spaced canines interspersed with much smaller 
teeth in one row. Vomer with cluster of small teeth in broadly V-shaped patch. Palatine teeth all 
small, in an elongated lens-shaped band. 
Body scales large, ctenoid, covering most of body; scales absent on top of head, snout, subor¬ 
bital region, jaws, gular and branchiostegal membranes, interopercle bone, and in larger specimens, 
broad outer margin of preopercle, a narrow area behind orbit, and lower margin of subopercle. No 
scales on dorsal and anal fins, but small scales present at bases of pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins. 
First 4-6 spines of dorsal fin graduated, the spines following subequal; the segmented rays 
slightly higher, forming a slight notch in profile of dorsal fin. Anal-fin spines graduated, the first 
less than half length of second and third spines; segmented rays longer than spines, the last three 
or four segmented rays longest. Pectoral fin broad-based, its origin slightly behind that of pelvic 
fin and about on same vertical as origin of dorsal fin, its distal tip extending close to or over origin 
of anal fin. Tip of second pelvic-fin ray developed into a short filamentous streamer. Caudal fin 
lunate, upper caudal lobe with a short filamentous streamer and longer than lower lobe. 
Color in fresh specimens: (Fig. 1) Ground color light gold to bronze, overlain dorsally with 
