Scientific Name
Ruvettus pretiosus  
Pronounce  
Ruvettus pretiosus薔薇帶鰆
by: Lab of Fish Ecol. and Evo., BRCAS
Author Cocco, 1833 Depth 100 - 600M
Chinese 薔薇帶鰆 Poisonous Fish No 
Family_Chinese 帶鰆科 Economic Fish Yes 
Family F473 Gempylidae Edible Fish Yes  Chinese In Mainland China 棘鱗蛇鯖 
Max Length 300 cm  Aquarium Fish No  Common Name 油魚、黑皮牛、粗鱗仔、龍鱈、圓鱈 
Distribution in World global   Distribution in Taiwan East、South、ShaoLiuChew、Greeb IS. 
Habitats Ocean、Deep Sea、Coastal  Holotype Locality Sicilia 
Synonyms Rovetus temminckii, Ruvettus delagoensis, Ruvettus pacificus, Ruvettus preciosus, Ruvettus tydemani, Ruvettus whakari, Tetragonurus simplex, Thyrsites acanthoderma, Thyrsites scholaris   
Reference 臺灣魚類誌(沈等, 1993);The Live Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, Vol.6(FAO, 2001);Fishes of Japan(Nakabo, 2002)  沈世傑 編 Shih-Chieh Shen ed. 1993 Nakabo T. 2002 Nakabo T. 2002 
Specimen List ASIZP0058805. ASIZP0059827. ASIZP0060838. ASIZP0066307. ASIZP0800966. ASIZP0910966. FRIP00933. FRIP20016. NMMBP02857. NMMBP03530. NMMSTP00901. NTUM06966.  
Common Name Night barracuda; Oilfish; Castor oil fish; Escolar 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body semifusiform and slightly compressed; lower jaw extends slightly anterior to upper jaw; tip of both jaws without dermal processes; fang-like teeth in both jaws present in juveniles but indistinct in adults; uniserial small teeth on vomer and palatines. Gill raker at angle of first gill arch T-shaped and larger than other gill rakers. First dorsal fin low, with XIII to XV spines, second dorsal fin with 15 to 18 soft rays followed by 2 finlets; anal fin with 15 to 18 soft rays followed by 2 finlets; pectoral fins with about 15 soft rays; pelvic fin well developed, with I spine and 5 soft rays; caudal fin widely forked without caudal keels. Lateral line single, often obscure; belly keeled by bony scales between pelvic fins and anus. Small cycloid scales, interspersed with rows of sharp spiny tubercles. Body uniformly brown to dark brown, tip of pectoral and pelvic fins black, margins of second dorsal and anal fins white in young specimens.
habitats Usually over the continental shelf, sometimes in oceanic waters down to 800 m. Usually solitary or in pairs near the bottom. Migrates far offshore. Feeds on fish, crustaceans and squid. 
Distribution Widely distributed in tropical and temperate waters of the world. It is found in northeastern and southern Taiwanese waters. 
Utility Marketed fresh and as fish cakes; also processed into fishmeal.