Opah
📖 Overview
Oceanic and apparently solitary . Epi- and mesopelagic . Feeds on midwater fishes and invertebrates, mainly squids . Probably spawns in the spring . Occasionally taken as a by-catch of tuna fisheries. Considered a good food fish ; marketed fresh and frozen; prepared as sashimi . Swims by flapping the pectoral fins .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 48 - 55; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 33 - 41; Vertebrae: 43. Caudal fin broadly lunate; pectorals long and falcate; pelvic fins similar to pectoral fins in shape and a little longer . Dark steely blue dorsally shading into green with silver and purple iridescence, belly rosy, body covered with silvery spots in irregular rows, light mottling on caudal and dorsal fins; vermillion on fins and jaws, golden around eyes .: short and / or deep.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Opah is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Opah is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Reproduction data for Opah is currently being compiled.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 200 m . Deep-water; 75°N - 60°S, 180°W - 180°E North Atlantic: including the Irish Sea, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean.
🌿 Ecology
midwater fishes and invertebrates, mainly squids (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Arokura · Cravo · Glacefish · Glancefish · Gudlax · Jerusalem haddock · Kingfish · Mariposa · Mariposa Fish · North Atlantic Opah · Ocean Moonfish · Opah · Opah or moonfish · Opal Fish · San Pedrofish · Spotted Moonfish · Spotted opah · Sunfish · moonfish |
| 🌍AFR | Gespikkelde opah |
| 🏳️Catalan | Llampuga reial |
| 🌍CES | leskyně skvrnitá |
| 🌍CYM | Opaod · opa |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig glansfisk · Glansfisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Glanzfisch · Gotteslachs · Mondfisch |
| 🌍ELL | Lampropsaro · Λαμπρόψαρο |
| 🌍FAO | Laksastyrja |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kiiltolahna |
| 🇫🇷French | Lampris · Lampris royal · Opa · Opah, Lampris · Poisson royal · Poisson-lune · Saumon des Dieux · opah · poisson lune |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Nevjesta |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | Tündöklőhal |
| 🌍ISL | Guðlax · gulðax |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce luna · Pesce re · pescire |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Akamanbô · Mandal · アカマンボウ |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Koningvis · koningsvis |
| 🌍NNO | laksestørje |
| 🌍NOB | Laksestjørje · laksestørje |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Laksestjørje · Laksestørje |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Strojnik |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Joaninha · Opá · Peixe-cravo · Peixe-papagaio · Peixe-sol · Peixe-sol-comum · Sol · Sô · peixe cravo |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Krasnopyoriy opakh · Красноперый (обыкновенный) опах · Обыкновенный опах · Опах обыкновеннный · солнечная рыба |
| 🌍SMO | Koko |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Epromar · Luna real · Mariposa · Opa · Pez Sol · opah · pez mariposa |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Glansfisk |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 斑點月魚 · 月魚 · 紅皮刀 · 花點三角仔 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lampris lauta | Lowe | 1838 | Synonym |
| Lampris luna | Gmelin | 1789 | Synonym |
| Lampris regius | Bonnaterre | 1788 | Synonym |
| Scomber gunneri | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Scomber pelagicus | Gunnerus | 1768 | Synonym |
| Zeus guttatus | Brünnich | 1788 | Synonym |
| Zeus imperalis | Shaw | 1793 | Synonym |
| Zeus imperialis | Shaw | 1793 | Synonym |
| Zeus luna | Gmelin | 1789 | Synonym |
| Zeus opah | Shaw | 1803 | Synonym |
| Zeus regius | Bonnaterre | 1788 | Synonym |
| Zeus stroemii | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 13 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Opah ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.