John Dory

The John Dory is a unique marine fish belonging to the genus Zeus.

It is specifically known as Zeus faber. This species is an edible demersal fish, which means it lives near the bottom of the sea.

These fish are found in coastal waters across the globe. They inhabit regions near Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Japan. They are also found along the coasts of Europe and New Zealand. This widespread distribution makes them a fascinating subject for marine biologists.

The John Dory has a very distinct physical structure. Its body is laterally compressed, meaning it is extremely thin from side to side.

This shape makes the fish difficult to see when viewed from the front. It has an olive-yellow color with a silver-white belly.

A large, dark spot sits on the side of its body. The fish also possesses ten long spines on its dorsal fin. It has four spines on its anal fin as well. Tiny, sharp scales cover its entire body.

This fish uses several biological tools to hunt for food.

Its large eyes are located near the top of its head. These eyes provide binocular vision and depth perception. This allows the predator to judge distances accurately. The dark spot on its flank serves another purpose. It helps confuse prey during a hunt. To catch food, the John Dory stalks smaller fish, such as sardines.

It also occasionally eats squid or cuttlefish. The fish extends its jaw forward into a tube-like structure. This action sucks the prey into its mouth along with water. The water then exits through the gills. A bone called the pre-maxillary bone is the only bone with teeth. This bone is used to grind the food.

Scientists can trace the history of this lineage through the fossil record.

The genus Zeus is part of an ancient group of fish. Fossils of this genus have been found dating back to the Oligocene. While some fossils in Poland and Italy were once thought to be Zeus faber, they are now known as different species. These include Zeus jerzmanskae and Zeus primaevus. The only fossils confirmed to be Zeus faber come from the Pleistocene of Italy.

The name of the fish has a long history. The word "dory" has been used since 1440. It comes from the French word "dorée," which means gilded. The name "John" was added later in 1609. This likely refers to a 17th-century song about a captain named John Dory. In New Zealand, the Māori people call the fish kuparu. This name appears to be unique to New Zealand.

In 1769, Captain James Cook received some of these fish from the Māori. They even provided several casks of pickled fish to him.

John Dories follow a specific life cycle in the wild.

They typically live for about 12 years. When they reach three or four years of age, they are ready to reproduce. This reproduction usually occurs around the end of the winter season. They are substrate scatterers. This means they release eggs and sperm directly into the water to fertilize them. They are usually solitary animals rather than living in large groups.

Many different cultures have interesting connections to this fish.

A legend claims the dark spot is the thumbprint of St. Peter. Because of this, the fish is sometimes called Peter's fish. In northern Spain, people call it San Martiño. The fish is also highly valued for food.

In 1845, Eliza Acton wrote that the fish is delicious. She recommended baking it very gently to keep it from drying out. Professional chefs often use the fish because it is versatile. However, it is not a common item found in many supermarkets.