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Leather Bass

Dermatolepis dermatolepis

A vibrant side-profile underwater photograph of an adult Leather Bass swimming through clear blue water above a rocky reef, displaying its greyish-blue body covered in small white spots and striking bright yellow-green margins on all of its fins.

Family: Sea Basses & Groupers (Serranidae)
Size: Up to 100 cm (39 in) | Common: 60 cm
Depth: 4 – 50m (13 – 160ft)
Distribution: Eastern Tropical Pacific (from southern California to Peru, including the Galapagos and Revillagigedo Islands).

Identification: A medium-to-large grouper recognizable by its mottled pattern and colorful fin trims.

  • Mottled Body: The greyish-brown to olive body is heavily mottled with pale white and grey blotches.
  • Bright Fin Margins: Look for the distinct, thin yellow or yellow-green bands tracing the edges of the pectoral, dorsal, and tail fins.
  • Juvenile Phase: Juveniles are completely distinct, displaying a black body with striking white horizontal stripes.

Behavior: A diurnal hunter with clever foraging tactics.

  • Shadow Hunting: They actively follow browsing herbivores or foraging moray eels across the reef, waiting to snap up any small fish or crustaceans flushed from hiding.
  • Reef Hovering: Often found hovering near rocky faces or resting at the base of steep underwater structures along the Chocó coast.

You just learned about this fish...

NOW COME SEE IT!

Fun Dive Cover page in Bahia Solano
Fun Dive Cover page in Bahia Solano
Fun Dive Cover page in Bahia Solano

Behind the Lens

Jalvan

Underwater Photographer & Instructor

Documenting unique marine biodiversity from the Red Sea across the Pacific Ocean. Dedicated to creating a visual catalog of Bahia Solano's marine life for conservation and research.

Photography: Sony A7C II | Olympus EPL10
Video: Osmo Action 5 Pro | GoPro

Follow my work:

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REFERENCES & DATA SOURCES

  • Scientific ID: Verified via FishBase (Froese & Pauly).
  • Field Guide: Reef Fish Identification: Baja to Panama (Humann & DeLoach).
  • Conservation Status: IUCN Red List (Least Concern).
  • Regional Data: Ankla Azul Marine Observation Log (Bahia Solano).

    • More Than Kicking Your Fins

    At Ankla Azul, diving is more than kicking your fins. It's patient teaching, sharp safety, and real care for the place we call home. As an SSI Instructor Training Center and an SSI Blue Oceans Center (2025 award), we blend skill-building with ocean awareness—Fish ID, coral nursery work, community education, and rescue support—so every dive grows confidence and respect for Bahía Solano's wild Pacific.