Species: Ruvettus pretiosus, the Oilfish
large round eye
D & A: 2 finlets behind
Ruvettus pretiosus Cocco, 1833
Oilfish
Elongate; fusifrom, slightly compressed; head pointed; eye large, circular; mouth opens at front, large; 1 row of large teeth each jaw, canines at front; 1st dorsal fin low, long, XIII-XV spines; 2nd dorsal fin higher, with shorter base, 15-18 rays, 2 finlets behind; anal fin 0, 15-18 rays, with 2 finlets behind; pelvic fins well developed, I, 5; tail fin broadly forked; no keels on tail base; scales smooth, with rows of small spiny tubercles in between them; lateral line obscure with slight curve over pectoral, straight to tail base; mid-belly with keel of bony plates.
Uniform dark purplish brown to brown; tips of pectoral and pelvic black; juvenile with margins of 2nd dorsal and anal white.
Size: 305 cm.
Size: 305 cm.
Habitat: Oceanic; near-bottom pelagic, typically on the outer continental shelf.
Depth: 50-1160 m.
Circumglobal, temperate to tropical, California and Baja, Costa Rica to Panama, Ecuador to Peru.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine Only
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Offshore Only
- Offshore
- Water Column Position
-
- Near Bottom
- Water column only
- Mid Water
- Habitat
-
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bentho-Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Pelagic crustacea
- Bony fishes
- Data
- Egg Type
-
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Global Endemism
-
- Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
- All species
- TEP non-endemic
- East Pacific + all Atlantic (East+West)
- East Pacific + Atlantic (East +/or West)
- Regional Endemism
-
- Eastern Pacific non-endemic
- All species
- Continent
- Island (s)
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- IUCN Red List
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- Not evaluated / Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 305
- Depth Range Min
-
- 50
- Depth Range Max
-
- 1160
