New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine 🍽️ Edible 🌡️ Subtropical

Imperial blackfish

Schedophilus ovalis Cuvier, 1833
Max Length
100 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.5
Depth
70–700 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
60.00/100
Typical Length
60 cm
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

Prefers deep water at the edge of continental shelves and around oceanic islands; larger specimens near the bottom . Young are epipelagic and associate with floating jellyfish, including Physalia . Adults are caught on hooks baited with fish or squid. Its white flesh is reported to be good-tasting .

Scientific Name
Schedophilus ovalis
Authority
Cuvier, 1833
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
Max Length
100 cm
Depth Range
70–700 m
Latitude
16°S – 52°N
Trophic Level
3.5
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
60.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Physical description for Imperial blackfish is currently being compiled.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Imperial blackfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Imperial blackfish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Imperial blackfish is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 70 - 700 m . Subtropical; 52°N - 16°S, 65°W - 36°E South Africa (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine
Trophic Level
3.5±0.47

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00813 × L3.13 (TL)
Max TL
100cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
60.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.5
Predator
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Latitude Range
52°N – 16°S
Described By
Cuvier, 1833

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Imperial blackfish is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 18 g
Omega-3 (total) 279 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Imperial blackfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Imperial blackfish · oval driftfish
🌍CES medúzovec císařský
🇩🇰Danish Kejsersortfisk
🌍ELL Βασιλομεδουσοφάγος
🇫🇮Finnish keisarimeduusakala
🇫🇷French Rouffe impérial
🇮🇹Italian Centrolfo viola · Ricciola 'mperiali
🌍MLT Huta tal-bram
🇳🇱Dutch ovale zwartvis
🇵🇹Portuguese Liro-imperial · Lírio · Peixe-medusa-oval
🇷🇺Russian Овальный шедоф
🇪🇸Spanish Rufo imperial

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Centrolophus corcyrensis Kolombatovic 1902 Synonym
Centrolophus crassus Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Centrolophus ovalis Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Centrolophus porosissimus Canestrini 1864 Synonym
Centrolophus rotundicauda Costa 1866 Synonym
Crius berthelotii Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Eucrotus ventralis Bean 1912 Synonym
Leirus bennettii Lowe 1834 Synonym
Mupus imperialis Cocco 1840 Synonym
Mupus ovalis Cuvier 1833 Synonym
Schedophilus botteri Steindachner 1868 Synonym
Shedophilus ovalis Cuvier 1833 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 3 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Imperial blackfish ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.