Fish Identification Photos: Damsel Bass, Hemanthias signifer: The Damsel Bass is one of the few bright red fishes and is found only in very deep water. The Damsel Bass is characterized by a uniform red color. It has a forked caudal fin within which the exterior rays are the longest, and a very elongated filamentous third dorsal fin spine.

The sides have a yellow tinge and the gill covers have yellow spots. The fins are red tipped in orange-red. There is a characteristic and identifying hook-like spine at the front of the throat where it joins the gill cover.

The Damsel Bass belongs to a group of sea basses and groupers of the family Serranidae. The Damsel Bass is easily confused with the Rose Theadfin Bass, Hemanthias peruanus (which has a faint yellow line under its eye, a caudal fin that is deeply forked with middle rays being the longest).

The Damsel Bass reaches a length of approximately 16 inches and up to 3 pounds.

It is found between 100 and 600 feet in the water column, over rocky reefs (however, the specimen pictured below was collected over a sandy bottom). The Damsel Bass is found in all Mexican waters but appears to be absent from the northern 20 percent of the Sea of Cortez and from the oceanic islands.

Damsel Bass, Hemanthias signifer: Photo courtesy John Snow. Damsel Bass, Hemanthias signifer: Caught in 250 feet of water on a traditional bottom rig on cut frigate tuna bait. Description and photo courtesy John Snow. Damsel Bass, Hemanthias signifer: Caught with Capt. Pata in panga Salome, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, in 75-degree water, in April 2003, in 300-foot deep water, in the first hour of morning light, utilizing a sabiki rig with 20-pound test, size #4 hooks, with an 8-ounce bank sinker, approximately 3 miles southeast of La Playita. A byproduct while “making bait” trying to catch mackerel. Size approximately 14 inches and 2 pounds. The Damsel Bass is a rare catch. Collection, identification, description and photo courtesy John Snow. Damsel Bass, Hemanthias peruanus: Caught off East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico, November 2003, in about 150 feet of water, on a Dart, while fishing with my wife Linda Perine. Description and photo courtesy Stan Moberly. Damsel Bass, Hemanthias peruanus: Caught at Las Arenas, south of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Photo by Gene Kira.