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OPAH (Lampris luna)

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Originally appearing in Volume V20, Page 120 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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OPAH (Lampris See also:luna) , a pelagic See also:fish, the See also:affinities of which are still a See also:puzzle to ichthyologists. The See also:body is compressed and deep (more so than in the See also:bream) and the scales are See also:minute. A See also:long dorsal fin, high and pointed anteriorly, runs along nearly the whole length of the back; the caudal is strong and deeply cleft. The central fin is also elongated, and all the fins are destitute of spines. The pelvic fins are abdominal in position, long and pointed in shape, and the pelvic bones are connected with the caracoids. These fins contain numerous (15-17) rays, a feature in which the fish differs from the Acanthopterygians. In its gorgeous See also:colours the opah surpasses even the dolphins, all the fins being of a See also:bright See also:scarlet. The sides are bluish See also:green above, See also:violet in the See also:middle, red beneath, variegated with See also:oval spots of brilliant See also:silver. It is only occasionally found near the See also:shore; its real See also:home is the See also:Atlantic, especially near See also:Madeira and the See also:Azores, but many captures are recorded from See also:Great See also:Britain, See also:Ireland and Scandinavia; it strays as far See also:north as See also:Iceland and See also:Newfoundland, and probably southwards to the latitudes of the See also:coast of See also:Guinea. It is rare in the Mediterranean. The name opah, which is now generally used, is derived from the statement of a native of the coast of Guinea who happened to be in See also:England when the first specimen was exhibited (1750), and who thought he recognized in it a fish well known by that name in his native See also:country. From its See also:habit of coming to the See also:surface in See also:calm See also:weather, showing its high dorsal fin above the See also:water, it has also received the name of " See also:sun-fish," which it shares with Orthagoriscus and the basking See also:shark.

It grows to a length of 4 to 5 ft. and a See also:

weight exceeding too lb, and is highly esteemed on See also:account of the excellent flavour of its flesh.

End of Article: OPAH (Lampris luna)

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