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Schedophilus ovalis (Cuvier, 1833)

Imperial blackfish
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Schedophilus ovalis   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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France country information

Common names: Imperial blackfish, Rouffe impérial
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Also in Ref. 116949, 116450.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Béarez, P., P. Pruvost, É. Feunteun, S. Iglésias, P. Francour, R. Causse, J. De Mazières, S. Tercerie and N. Bailly, 2017
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Rouffe impérial, Rufo imperial, سمك أسود امْبراطُوري, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Scombriformes (Mackerels) > Centrolophidae (Medusafishes)
Etymology: Schedophilus: Name from Greek words 'phylos' (Φίλος), t) meaning 'one who likes' and "s 'shedia' (Σχεδία) which means raft; literally means 'the one who likes rafts'. This probably refers to the lifestyle ot the juveniles of this genus (Michail Ragousis, mar10091@marine.aegean.gr, pers. Comm. 01/16) which are epipelagic and associate with floating jellyfish..
  More on author: Cuvier.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 70 - 700 m (Ref. 52180), usually 80 - 240 m (Ref. 27121).   Subtropical; 52°N - 16°S, 65°W - 36°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Eastern Atlantic: Spain and throughout most of the Mediterranean southward. Although reported to occur in South Africa (Ref. 4542, 6942), Smith 1995 (Ref. 11228) mentions that the species occurring in southern Africa is not Schedophilus ovalis but Schedophilus velaini. Western Central Atlantic: a small specimen recorded from Bermuda.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3596); common length : 60.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3596)

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Prefers deep water at the edge of continental shelves and around oceanic islands; larger specimens near the bottom (Ref. 4542). Young are epipelagic and associate with floating jellyfish, including Physalia (Ref. 4542). Adults are caught on hooks baited with fish or squid. Its white flesh is reported to be good-tasting (Ref. 4542).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Haedrich, R.L., 1990. Centrolophidae. p. 1011-1013. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6942)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Not Evaluated 

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 11.8 - 18.8, mean 14.8 (based on 221 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5039   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00832 (0.00411 - 0.01682), b=3.10 (2.91 - 3.29), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.5   ±0.47 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  High vulnerability (60 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Very high.