Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1849)
Black Oilfish
Click to enlarge image
© Rikard Frederiksen
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Lepidocybium
- Species
- flavobrunneum
- Family
- Gempylidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to over 2 m in length.
Introduction
The Escolar has a fusiform body. It is found throughout tropical and temperate seas worldwide.
Identification
The Escolar has a fusiform body, with four to six finlets behind the second dorsal and anal fins. It has a strong keel on the side of the caudal peduncle, which is flanked by a smaller keel above and below. Its upper jaw has two pairs of fangs anteriorly. The species is dark brown becoming almost black as it ages.
Distribution
The Escolar is found throughout tropical and temperate seas worldwide. In Australia it is recorded from southern Queensland around the south of the continent and up the west coast to the north-west Shelf of Western Australia.
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.
Feeding and diet
Its diet includes squids, crustaceans and other fishes.
References
- Nakamura, I & N.V. Parin. 1993. Snake Mackerels and Cutlassfishes of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Snake Mackerels, Snoeks, Escolars, Gemfishes, Sackfishes, Domine, Oilfish, Cutlassfishes, Scabbardfishes, Hairtails and Frostfishes Known to Date. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 15. FAO. Rome. Pp. 136.
- Yearsley, G.K, P.R. Last, & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook: Domestic Species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461. in Nature Australia. 26(8):74.
