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| Escolar | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Gempylidae |
| Genus: | Lepidocybium Gill, 1862 |
| Species: | L. flavobrunneum |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1843) | |
The escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, is a snake mackerel, the only species in the genus Lepidocybium. It is found in deep (200–885 m) tropical and temperate waters around the world.
The escolar is dark brown in colour, growing darker with age until it is quite black. It is a fast-swimming fish with a prominent lateral keel and multiple finlets. It grows up to 2 m in length.
Like its relative the oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus, the escolar is consumed in several European and Asian countries, as well as in the USA. Neither fish metabolises the wax esters naturally found in their diet, which causes an oil content in the muscle meat of the fish amounting to 18-21%. These wax esters may rapidly cause gastrointestinal symptoms following consumption; however these effects are usually short lived.
Escolar is sometimes consumed raw as sushi or sashimi.
References
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Lepidocybium flavobrunneum". FishBase. March 2006 version.