Sand perch (Diplectrum formosum) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 1–80 m.
Scientific name: Diplectrum formosum · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 30 cm
The sand perch is a serranid that inhabits bays, coastal grassy areas and shallow banks, and it is solitary and retreats into shelter when frightened. It is a synchronous hermaphrodite, and it is popular as a pan fish despite its small size. It is recorded from 1 to 80 m. Its range is the western Atlantic, from North Carolina and the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas southward to Uruguay, though its occurrence in the western Caribbean is doubtful. Maximum length is about 30 cm total length, commonly about 16 cm, and it matures at about 12.9 cm. It is a commercial species and a gamefish, with a very high price category. Fishing vulnerability is low at 15 of 100 and resilience high, and climate vulnerability is moderate at 36 of 100. IUCN lists it as least concern.
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