Need help to identify fish

Anyone can help me to identify this fish? Was caught today in the northern sea of Italy near France, 3-4 miles from the coast at 300 mt depth. TNX!









[edit on 16-5-2009 by ImShrike]

reply to post by ImShrike


Not yet, but I'm working on it.

I know it's a ray-finned.

[edit on 5/16/2009 by ravenshadow13]

AHA!!!
Okay, my first guess- Lampris guttatus.
Or the "Opah"

www.fishbase.org...



Moonfish. First guess.
EDIT- Final guess.

[edit on 5/16/2009 by ravenshadow13]

reply to post by ravenshadow13


I was thinking sunfish or moonfish initially to.

But it is a moonfish

reply to post by munkey66


Yep. I knew it wasn't a sunfish, they just look kind of plainer and their pectoral fins look really different. I LOVE SUNFISH, though. So pretty.

But yeah that's a nice Opah

100% Sure it is a Lampris guttatus. Question answered.

Wonderful fillets. I like mine sauteed in butter and ginger, with a light sweet-sour shoyu sauce. Texture of mahimahi but with a bit stronger flavor.
Yum!

[edit on 5/16/2009 by Phage]

Aww man.....

Now I'm hungry.

Hmmm. Sushi sounds good. Or maybe ceviche.

Ahi tuna?

(mumbles to self and shuffles off to fridge......................)

*shudder* Ew.

Can we close the thread now that the fish has been identified?
EDIT- As it is easily identified and not cryptozoological.

[edit on 5/16/2009 by ravenshadow13]

No need to close it.

ImShrike started the thread. I'm hoping he will tell us what they did with the fish.

How was it caught? Long line?

I'm curious too. What kind of bait? Master bait?

Thank you everyone for the answer. Ravenshadow13 is right. The local "expert" here has identified the fish: Lampris guttatus, that someone call "King" fish. I know that wasnt a cryptid, but this kind of fish is very very rare here in the north mediterranean sea. When i see the request of identification on the local newswebsite, i thought to my ATS's friends

The fis was caught with the tecnique of "palamiti". I dont know what the equivalent in english but i try to explain (sorry if, as usual, i kill the english language!). The fisherman drag a very long fishline (several hundred meters long) with a lot of piece of fishline with hooks and bait (attached to main fishline at regular intervals). It' a common tecnique here in the Imperia province.

Case closed! Thanks to everyone!

Ps. When i see the Phage's post, before reading, i thought he was assure that this isn't a fish but just a rock! I'm just kidding, i really appreciate Phage contribution.

[edit on 17-5-2009 by ImShrike]

reply to post by ImShrike


www.mnhn.fr...

Some interesting reading.

On 13 July 2003, a specimen of L. guttatus ( female, weight of
ovaries was Wo = 216 g, stage II, according to Nikolsky (1976),
the specimen was identified as an immature by macroscopic inspec-
tion of gonads) measuring 98.3 cm TL and weighing 25.57 kg (Fig.
1) was captured by gill-net called ‘barakuda’, at a depth of 28 m,
near island Vir (eastern middle Adriatic, Croatian coast) (Fig. 2).
In spite of its undoubted presence in the Mediterranean (Palm-
er, 1986; Bauchot, 1987) published papers on its occurrence (date
of capture, location), morphometrics, length and weight data, food
and feeding are very scarce. It is also very interesting that Palmer
(1986) did not include Adriatic in the L. guttatus area of distribu-
tion although ‰oljan (1948, 1975) included it in the list of Adriatic
ichthyofauna. Most of those papers and lists confirm the presence
of this species in specific area such as Gulf of Lion, Balearic Islands
and Greek waters, but without any other data.

im pretty sure it a......................................... actually it, no i think its a fish lol