Silver gemfish

The king - Escolar ( Rexea solandri ) is a species of the family of snake mackerel ( Gempylidae ).

Cuvier ( in Cuvier et Valenciennes 1832), the type ( called " Thyrsites solandri " ) described on the basis of the information that Daniel Solander as their discoverer (before New Zealand - on James Cook's first Pacific voyage ) in December 1769 by her ( as " Scomber macrophthalmus " ) had given.

Etymology

The scientific name seems to be a [ type ], " the tears like mangled " ( ρηξεῖα ) to mean - where Edgar R. Waite (1911 ) in " Rexea " and the (random) reminiscence (Latin ) rex, "king", may have had in mind: because of the silver luster is called the fish of many fishermen ( translated) " Königsbarracouta, student, kleinodfisch " etc.

Systematics and appearance

Within the Gempylidae (snake mackerels ) leads the genus Rexea (6 species) over the tuna similar to the eel-like forms. The 120 cm long, then to 16 kg ( and 15 year old ) big-eyed fish is elongated torpedo- shaped, with the belly edge in profile longer than the topline. The back is dark bluish, the sides are silvery. What is striking is the side line: splits them up above the pectoral fin into two branches: the dorsal is stretched far above almost to the ( short ) caudal peduncle, the ventral arching sweeps up to the tail fin.

Fins formula: D1 XVII- XVIII ( very stretched twice as long as D2; front with black spot ); D2 I/16-19 ( backward transition in 2-3 Flössel ); A II/13-16, P 15-16, VI / 3 (to remain in growth completely back ).

In the larvae, the D1 is very high, as the sailfish, and the V- Ray Hart still long. The fish is scaly only with 25 cm length all (fine). He has 36 vertebrae in the spine. His teeth are particularly large in the front foot, suitable for " Mangle ".

Occurrence

At the continental slopes of Australia, neighboring islands, and probably also to those between East Africa and Japan, through the southern Indian Ocean, tropical to subtropical (the other species live in the same area, but remain small; assignment sometimes uncertain).

Behavior

The king - Escolar lives ( in schools) usually near the substrate ( in 200-450 m ), but increases also like to open water close to the surface on, partly seasonal. He is a mesopelagischer Raiders ( 100 - 800 m depth). The diet consists of fish, squid and shrimp. It spawns (about ahead of New South Wales) pelagic May to September, probably by exposed depths and relatively near the coast. The swarm living juveniles Benthopelagic until they are about 17 cm in length. As low proliferation of the " Kingfish " by overfishing is potentially at risk.

Fishing

Because it is a popular food fish (especially smoked), the Australian authority has established since a sharp decline in catches since 1989 ( on the southeast and the Tasmanian coast), that there appears to two South Australian populations, and limited the catch of endangered, while the may be fished further south-west. The fact that there are several populations, demonstrated not least by their different findings endoparasites. The content of wax esters (see Ruvettus and Lepidocybium ) is at Rexea (practically only in the roe, as with many marine fish) so low that it does not cause Keriorrhoe ( diarrhea).