Teleostei (teleosts) >
Lampriformes (Velifers, tube-eyes and ribbonfishes) >
Lampridae (Opahs)
Etymology: Lampris: Greek, lampros = light (Ref. 45335).
Issue
Some information in this summary page may be referring to other species included in this species complex. Modification ongoing.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243). Deep-water; 75°N - 60°S, 180°W - 180°E
North Atlantic: including the Irish Sea, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 101 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 126789); max. published weight: 270.0 kg (Ref. 5188)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 48 - 55; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 33 - 41; Vertebrae: 43. Caudal fin broadly lunate; pectorals long and falcate; pelvic fins similar to pectoral fins in shape and a little longer (Ref. 6885). Dark steely blue dorsally shading into green with silver and purple iridescence, belly rosy, body covered with silvery spots in irregular rows, light mottling on caudal and dorsal fins; vermillion on fins and jaws, golden around eyes (Ref. 6885).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Oceanic and apparently solitary (Ref. 6737). Epi- and mesopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds on midwater fishes and invertebrates, mainly squids (Ref. 6737). Probably spawns in the spring (Ref. 6885). Occasionally taken as a by-catch of tuna fisheries. Considered a good food fish (Ref. 5242); marketed fresh and frozen; prepared as sashimi (Ref. 9987). Swims by flapping the pectoral fins (Ref. 36731).
Underkoffler, K.E., M.A. Luers, J.R. Hyde and M.T. Craig, 2018. A taxonomic review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) (Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa 4413(3):551-565. (Ref. 126789)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 5 - 19.9, mean 12.1 °C (based on 1423 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01995 (0.00906 - 0.04395), b=3.01 (2.83 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.2 ±0.62 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 5.0 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tm>4).
Prior r = 0.28, 95% CL = 0.18 - 0.42, Based on 1 data-limited stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (55 of 100).
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Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 13 [4, 32] mg/100g; Iron = 0.295 [0.127, 0.889] mg/100g; Protein = 21.3 [16.9, 24.1] %; Omega3 = 0.148 [0.055, 0.397] g/100g; Selenium = 21.5 [7.0, 69.8] μg/100g; VitaminA = 9.27 [1.00, 83.81] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.245 [0.123, 0.529] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.