Black sea bass  (Stereolepis gigas)

As implied by its alternative name of giant sea bass, the most dramatic feature of this fish is its conspicuous size, with the largest individual recorded reaching a phenomenal 255.6 kg – a true giant of the ocean (2) (3)! The bulky, robust fish has a large mouth, small teeth and a distinctive single, strongly-notched dorsal fin (4). Almost as impressive as its size is the variation in colour displayed by this species. Juveniles start out life as a bright orange colour with black spots, with the orange turning a more bronzy purple as the individual grows and the spots fading as the fish gets darker. Large adults often appear solid black to grey, with a white underside, but retain the ability to display large black spots. Indeed, black sea bass are in fact capable of rapid and dramatic colour changes, from dark above and light below to displaying white mottling or simply changing from jet black to pale grey. These colour changes are thought to act as a form of communication between individuals or to be an indication of stress (3).