Argentine Seabass

The Argentine seabass has a deep, compressed body and is covered in ctenoid scales, which are typical in teleost fishes. The dorsal profile is evenly arched and this arch is traced by the shape of the lateral line, which is covered by between 84 and 98 scales and runs from the upper margin of the operculum to the base of the caudal fin. The Argentine seabass' dorsal fin has 13 spines and 15 soft rays, while its anal fin has only 3 spines and 8 rays. They generally reach maturity when around 29 centimetres (11 in) in length though they have been recorded to lengths of 60 centimetres (24 in). Individuals may weigh as much as 2.5–3 kilograms (5.5–6.6 lb).

The Argentine seabass is a rare species, found only in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, along the coasts of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. They generally inhabit cold waters along the South American continental shelf, but also form a component of some subtropical reef communities, especially rocky reefs and outcrops. Typically marine (they may be rarely encountered in brackish waters), Argentine seabass have been reported at depths from 15 metres (49 ft) to 60 metres (200 ft). Argentine seabass are known to prey upon crabs and small fish. They are in turn eaten by predators such as the Imperial shag.

The Argentine seabass' genus name, Acanthistius, comes from the Greek akantha (ακανθα), meaning thorn and Greek, istio (ιστίο) meaning sail, which is in reference to the spines along the front of its dorsal fin. The species name, brasilianus, means "Brazilian". This is a reference to where the first specimens to be reported were caught.