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Bony fish

Oilfish

Ruvettus pretiosus

Also known as: Castor Oilfish, Escolars, Night Barracuda, Plaintail, Scourfish, White Tuna, Escolar

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Add a photo
Adult
@Jburnett · Buccaneer hotel, US Virgin Islands · March 20211 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs close to the bottom of the continental shelf or in very deep oceanic waters, migrating far offshore.
The flesh of this fish is very oily and has a high wax ester content that is indigestible and acts as a laxative!

Gempylida are deepwater fish and important commercial and game fish, their skin is rough and like Barracudas have fang-like teeth!

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Circumtropical
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs close to the bottom of the continental shelf or in very deep oceanic waters, migrating far offshore.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderScombriformes
    5. familyGempylidae
    6. genusRuvettus
    7. speciesRuvettus pretiosus Cocco, 1833

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

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