A common name applying to a large group of fishes, mostly in the order Perciformes, generally having the following characteristics: body about 2.5 or 3 times longer than its depth; two dorsal fins, the first composed of stiff spines; pectoral fins on the sides of the body just behind the head; pelvic fins thoracic in position, with one spine and five rays; ctenoid scales; a relatively large mouth; and a predatory lifestyle. Because “bass” is not a taxonomic unit, however, the term cannot be precisely described or defined. In the western North Atlantic, the eastern North Pacific, and freshwaters of Central and North America alone, the word “bass” appears in the vernacular of 53 species and six hybrids in 17 genera and six families. A generally accepted limited taxonomy of the basses follows. (A indicates a North Atlantic range; P, North Pacific; F, fresh waters of Central and North America.) Fishes called “basslet” (primarily family Grammatidae) are not included.

• Order Perciformes
•  Suborder Percoidei
•   Family Moronidae—temperate basses
•    Morone americana—white perch (A-F)
•    Morone chrysops—white bass (F)
•    Morone mississippiensis—yellow bass (F)
•    Morone saxatilis—striped bass (A-F)
•    ♂ Morone americana × ♀M. saxatilis
•     hybrid—Virginia bass (F)
•    ♀Morone americana × ♂ M. saxatilis
•     hybrid—Maryland bass
•    ♀Morone chrysops × ♂ M. saxatilis
•     hybrid—sunshine bass
•    ♂Morone chrysops × ♀, M. saxatilis
•     hybrid—palmetto bass
•    ♂Morone mississippiensis × ♀ M. saxatilis
•     hybrid—paradise bass
•   Family Acropomatidae—lanternbellies
•    Synagrops bellus—blackmouth bass (A)
•    Synagrops spinosus—keelcheek bass (A)
•    Synagrops trispinosus—threespine bass (A)
•   Family Polyprionidae—wreckfishes
•    Stereolepis gigas—giant sea bass (P)
•   Family Symphysanodontidae—slopefishes
•    Symphysanodon berryi—slope bass (A)
•   Family Serranidae—sea basses and groupers
•    Anthias nicholii—yellowfin bass (A)
•    Anthias tenius—threadnose bass (A)
•    Anthias woodsi—swallowtail bass (A)
•    Bathyanthias mexacana—yellowtail bass (A)
•    Bullisichthys caribbaeus—pugnose bass (A)
•    Centropristis fuscula—twospot sea bass (A)
•    Centropristis ocyurus—bank sea bass (A)
•    Centropristis philadelphica—rock sea bass (A)
•    Centropristis striatus—black sea bass (A)
•    Dermatolepis dermatolepis—leather bass (P)
•    Hemanthias aureorubens—streamer bass (A)
•    Hemanthias leptus—longtail bass (A)
•    Hemanthias peruanus—splittail bass (P)
•    Hemanthias signifier—hookthroat bass (P)
•    Paralabrax auroguttatus—goldspotted sand bass (A)
•    Paralabrax clathratus—kelp bass (P)
•    Paralabrax loro—parrot sand bass (P)
•    Paralabrax maculatofasciatus—spotted sand bass (P)
•    Paralabrax nebulifer barred sea bass (P)
•    Paralabrax atrimanus—bank bass (A)
•    Plectranthias garrupellus—apricot bass (A)
•    Pronotogrammus eos—bigeye bass (P)
•    Pronotogrammus martinicensis—roughtongue bass (A)
•    Pronotogrammus multifasciatus—threadfin bass (P)
•    Pronotogrammus gregoryi—reef bass (A)
•    Pronotogrammus thaumasium—Pacific reef bass (P)
•    Serraniculus pumilo—pygmy sea bass (A)
•    Serraniculus annularis—orangeback bass (A)
•    Serraniculus atrobranchus—blackearX bass (A)
•    Serraniculus baldwini—lantern bass (A)
•    Serraniculus chionaraia snow bass (A)
•    Serraniculus flaviventris—twinspot bass (A)
•    Serraniculus luciopercanus—crosshatch bass (A)
•    Serraniculus notospilus—saddle bass (A)
•    Serraniculus tigrinus—harlequin bass (A)
•    Serraniculus tortugarum—chalk bass
•   Family Centrarchidae—sunfishes
•    Ambloplites ariommus—shadow bass (F)
•    Ambloplites cavifrons—Roanoke bass (F)
•    Ambloplites constellatus—Ozark bass (F)
•    Ambloplites rupestris—rock bass (F)
•    Micropterus cataractae—shoal bass (F)
•    Micropterus coosae—redeye bass (F)
•    Micropterus dolomieu—smallmouth bass (F)
•    Micropterus notius—Suwannee bass (F)
•    Micropterus punctulatus—spotted bass (F)
•    Micropterus salmoides—largemouth bass (F)
•    Micropterus treculii—Guadalupe bass (F)
•    Lepomis macrochirus × Micropterus salmoides hybrid—blue bass (F)