Golden Bass - Liopropoma santi

A golden bass with sand in the background.
(Carole Baldwin, Courtesy of Substation Curacao)

This new “golden bass” has the deepest depth range (182 to 241 meters) of any known western Atlantic species of Liopropoma basses. Without the ability to visit deep reefs and make collections with the hydraulic arms of the submersible, this species likely would have continued to go undetected. It is very secretive, darting into cracks or crevices when approached. The species name “santi” honors Roger and Victoria Sant and is in recognition of the support they have given to Smithsonian ocean-related activities. Roger participated in a submersible dive off Curaçao during which a specimen of the new species was collected.