Animal Species:Opah, Lampris guttatus (Brunnich, 1788)

Alternative Name/s

The species has also been called Spotted Moonfish and Opal Fish.

Identification

The Opah is a deep-bodied, compressed fish. It is deep blue on the back grading to a lighter blue or silver on the belly. The body is covered with white spots and the fins are a vibrant red.

Size range

Opahs grow to over 1.5 m in length and can weigh over 70 kg.

Distribution

The species has a worldwide oceanic distribution. In Australia it is known from off northern New South Wales, around the south of the country including Tasmania, to south-western Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Opah specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is a mid-water species which lives at depths between 100 m and 400 m.

Feeding and Diet

The species eats other fishes and squids.

Classification

Species:

guttatus

Genus:

Lampris

Family:

Lampridae

Order:

Lampridiformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

• Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F., C.J.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
• Wheeler, A. 1975. Fishes of the World. An Illustrated Dictionary. Ferndale Editions. Pp.366.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 4 August 2012

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Opah, Lampris guttatus, Lamprididae, odd-shaped, pelagic, Spotted Moonfish, Opal Fish, deep body, compressed body, blue, white spots, dots/spots, red fins, > 1m, marine,