Animal Species:Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1849)
The Escolar has a fusiform body. It is found throughout tropical and temperate seas worldwide.
Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
Rikard Frederiksen
© Rikard Frederiksen
Alternative Name/s
Black Oilfish
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.
Size range
The species grows to over 2 m in length.
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.
Distribution by collection data
Ozcam map of Escolar specimens in the Australian Museum.
Feeding and Diet
Its diet includes squids, crustaceans and other fishes.
Classification
- Species:
- flavobrunneum
- Genus:
- Lepidocybium
- Family:
- Gempylidae
- Order:
- Perciformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
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.
Mark McGrouther
, Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, Gempylidae, brown, black, 'normal fish', > 2 m, countershaded, temperate, marine, adult,
