Lantern bass (Serranus baldwini)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Perciformes · Family: Serranidae · Genus: Serranus.

Accepted name: Serranus baldwini · Authority: (Evermann & Marsh, 1899) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 273893.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Prionodes baldwini Evermann & Marsh, 1899.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273893 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Serranus baldwini. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 12 cm · Depth range: 1–80 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits rocky and weedy areas. Synchronously hermaphroditic. Feeds on caridean shrimp and small fish (Ref. 5521).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 3344) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Serranus-baldwini.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

23,033 georeferenced occurrence records for Serranus baldwini are published through GBIF from 31 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 66 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 9 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United States of America (19,319); Puerto Rico (2,514); Brazil (773); Belize (138); Mexico (92).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2388737) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2388737&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273893 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Serranus baldwini (Evermann & Marsh, 1899) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 190297) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/190297/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2388737) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2388737/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Serranus baldwini has a cylindrical and elongated body, which is laterally compressed to a moderate extent and has a snout which has a length which is shorter than the diameter of the eye. There are 3 well-developed spines on the gill cover, with the middle spine being the largest and straightest. The preopercle has a regularly serrated edge.

The dorsal fin contains 10 spines and 11-13 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. The caudal fin is slightly concave. The body is white broken by lines of dark to orange oblong-shaped blotches and spot. There is a noticeable row of dark, oblong blotches along the lower flank.

There is a further row of 4 black spots on the caudal peduncle. Fish from deeper water have a red, orange or yellower hue compared to the paler fish from shallower water. This species attains a maximum total length of 12.0 cm.

Distribution

Serranus baldwini is found in the western Atlantic Ocean where it ranges from Jacksonville, Florida southwards along the Florida coast and around the Bahamas. Its range extends into the Gulf of Mexico including the Florida Keys and northwards. It is also found along the Mexican coast from Campeche and on the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula and from northwestern Cuba throughout the Caribbean, and along the coast of Central America and South America as far south as São Paulo in Brazil.

Habitat and biology

Serranus baldwini is a marine reef-associated species, living in rocky and weedy areas at a depth of 1 – 80 m. It shows a strong association with beds of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), although juveniles use the empty shells of conches to hide in.

It is a territorial species which feeds on shrimps and smaller fishes. It is synchronously hermaphroditic, i.e. fish can be either male or female when spawning but the social structure involves a territorial fish which is the largest of the group functionally male and a harem of hermaphrodites. The male fish is the most successful at producing offspring by mating as a male with the hermaphrodites but the hermaphrodites also mate with each other but do not have the quantity of progeny that the male fish is able to father.

Taxonomy

Serranus baldwini was first formally described as Prionodes baldwini by the American ichthyologists Barton Warren Evermann (1853-1932) and Millard Caleb Marsh (1872-1936) with the type locality given as Culebra, Puerto Rico. The specific name honours the artist on the expedition of December 1898 aboard the United States Fish Commission steamer Fish Hawk to Puerto Rico which collected the type, Albertus Hutchinson Baldwin (1865-1935).

Utilisation

Serranus baldwini is used within the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Serranus baldwini — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serranus_baldwini (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.