A large marine food fish (
Serranus atrarius syn.
Centropristis atrarius) which abounds on the Atlantic coast of the
United States. It is dark bluish, with black bands, and more or less varied with small white spots and blotches. Called also, locally,
blue bass,
black sea bass,
blackfish,
bluefish, and
black perch. [
1913 Webster]