Photo Courtesy of Marc Hamric
Anthias nicholsi
| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Anthiadidae | Anthias nicholsi | Firth | 1933 | Yellowfin Bass |
All Anthias Species: Dorsal fin with 10 spines and 14 or 15 rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 6-13 rays; pectoral-fin rays 18-21; soft rays in anal fin 6-8 (usually 7). Most of upper edge of operculum free, not connected by skin to body. Caudal fin deeply forked. Head length contained 2.3-3.3 times in standard length. Preopercle without a large antrorse spine; middle opercle spine not reaching edge of operculum. Front nostrils variously shaped, but always closer to rear nostrils than to upper lip. Posterior border of anterior nostril produced into short flap, but never produced into long slender filament; 2 nostrils on each side of head close together, internarial distance 7-15 times in snout length. Supramaxilla absent; teeth fixed (not depressible). No scaly flap of skin joining upper part of pectoral-fin base to body; soft dorsal and anal fins mostly naked. Upper jaw moderately protrusile; jaw teeth distinct; vomer and palatines with teeth. Body depth 27-48% standard length; body depth at first dorsal-fin spine 34-44% standard length; head length 34-40% standard length. Posterior process of premaxilla broad and near tip of alveolar ramus. Branchiostegal rays 7. Lateral-line scales 31-48, continuous, not interrupted. Total gill rakers on first arch 34-44. Branched caudal-fin rays 13. Maxilla and interorbital area scaly. Vomerine tooth patch triangular or V-shaped; tongue usually without teeth (FAO 2002).
Anthias nicholsi
Unique Characters: Lateral-line scales 31-34. Sum of lateral-line scales plus total number of gill rakers, in individual specimens, 71-76. Caudal-fin lobes moderate (length of upper lobe 31-49% standard length) (FAO 2002).
Similar Species:
Anthias woodsi, Swallowtail Bass
Swallowtail Bass, Anthias woodsi. Lateral-line scales 36-48. Sum of lateral-line scales plus total gill rakers, in individual specimens, 75-88. Caudal-fin lobes moderately to well produced (length of upper lobe 49-110% standard length) (FAO 2002).