Oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus Cocco, 1833
Scientific name: Ruvettus pretiosus
Alternative name/s:
Castor Oil Fish, Escolar, Oil-fish
Castor Oil Fish, Escolar, Oil-fish
Similar species:
Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
Click to enlarge image
A juvenile Oilfish caught at night near the surface (water depth 500 fathoms) east of Kiama Canyons, New South Wales, 2012.
Image: Greg Barea
© Greg Barea
© Greg Barea
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Ruvettus
- Species
- pretiosus
- Family
- Gempylidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 2 m in length and to 63.5 kg.
Introduction
The Oilfish is the lagest species in the family Gempylidae.
Identification
Oilfish are brown to black in colour and have sharp bony tubercles between the scales.
Distribution
It occurs worldwide in temperate and tropical marine waters.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
References
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Pepperell, J. 2010. Fishes of the Open Ocean. A natural history & illustrated guide. University of NSW Press. Pp. 266.
