Biology:John Dory
| John Dory | |
|---|---|
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| Zeus faber | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Zeiformes |
| Family: | Zeidae |
| Genus: | Zeus |
| Species: | Z. faber
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| Binomial name | |
| Zeus faber | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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John Dory, St Pierre, or Peter's fish, refers to fish of the genus Zeus, especially Zeus faber, of widespread distribution. It is an edible demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark spot, and long spines on the dorsal fin. Its large eyes at the front of the head provide it with binocular vision and depth perception, which are important for predators. The John Dory's eye spot on the side of its body also confuses prey, which are scooped up in its large mouth.[3][4]
In New Zealand, Māori know it as kuparu, and on the East Coast of the North Island, they gave some to Captain James Cook on his first voyage to New Zealand in 1769. Several casks of them were pickled.[3]
Evolution
The John Dory belongs to an ancient lineage of fish known from fossils since the Late Cretaceous, with fossils of the genus Zeus being known as far back as the Oligocene. Formerly, fossils from the Oligocene of Poland[5] and the Late Miocene of Italy & Algeria[6][7] were attributed to this species, but more recent studies have now consider these to be their own species: Zeus jerzmanskae and Zeus primaevus.[8] The only fossils known of Z. faber itself are from the Pleistocene of Italy.[9]
Etymology
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The name dory is attested from 1440, derived from the French dorée 'gilded', a French name for the fish. The addition of "John" appears in 1609, and probably comes from a 17th-century song about a sea captain, John Dory. Etymologies claiming it comes from the French jaune dorée (meaning "golden yellow") which sounds like 'John Dory' in English, or the Italian gianitore 'janitor' are now rejected.[10]
A legend says that the dark spot on the fish's flank is St. Peter's thumbprint.[11] In the north coast of Spain, it is known commonly as San Martiño, or San Martín. The Māori-language name for the fish, kuparu, appears to be unique to New Zealand, as there are no cognates found in other Polynesian languages.[12]
Morphology
The John Dory grows to a maximum size of 65 cm (26 in) and a maximum weight of 5 kg (11 lb). It has 10 long spines on its dorsal fin and 4 spines on its anal fin. It has microscopic, sharp scales that run around the body. The fish is an olive green color with a silver white belly and has a dark spot on its side. Its eyes are near the top of its head. It has a flat, round body shape and is a poor swimmer.
Prey and predators
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The John Dory catches prey by stalking it, then extending its jaw forward in a tube-like structure to suck the fish in with some water. The water then flows out through the gills; the pre-maxillary bone, the only tooth-bearing bone in this fish, is used to grind the food.
The John Dory has a high laterally compressed body – its body is so thin it can hardly be seen from the front. The large eyes at the front of the head provide it with the binocular vision and depth perception it needs to catch prey. This eye spot also confuses prey, which can then be sucked into its mouth.[13]
Habitat
John Dory are benthopelagic coastal fish, found on the coasts of Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, the coasts of Japan, and on the coasts of Europe. They live near the seabed, living in depths from 5 to 360 metres (20 to 1,180 ft). They are normally solitary. John Dory are more commonly found in the waters of the North Island of New Zealand than the colder waters surrounding the South Island.[12]
Reproduction and lifespan
Template:Inline citations needed
As food
Cookery writer Eliza Acton in her 1845 book Modern Cookery for Private Families observed that John Dory "though of uninviting appearance, is considered by some persons as the most delicious fish that appears at table". She recommends simply baking it "very gently", to avoid drying it out in the oven.[14]
John Dory is a popular choice among professional chefs due to the versatility of the fish, though access to home cooks is limited; the bycatch fish is not typically sold at supermarkets.[15]
References
- ↑ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 363: 1–560. http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Iwamoto, T. (2015). "Zeus faber". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198769A42390771.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198769/42390771. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 New Zealand Coastal Fish: John Dory.
- ↑ Bray, Dianne. "John Dory, Zeus faber". https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1492#summary.
- ↑ Świdnicki, Jacek (1986). "Oligocene Zeiformes (Teleostei) from the Polish Carpathians". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 31 (1-2): 111-135. https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app31-111.html.
- ↑ "Paléobiodiversité et paléoenvironnements: l'exemple des gisements de poissons téléostéens du Messinien préévaporitique d'Oran et du bassin du Chélif (Algérie)" (in en). Geodiversitas 30 (1): 141–163. 2008. https://sciencepress.mnhn.fr/en/periodiques/geodiversitas/30/1/paleobiodiversite-et-paleoenvironnements-l-exemple-des-gisements-de-poissons-teleosteens-du-messinien-preevaporitique-d-oran-et-du-bassin-du-chelif-algerie.
- ↑ Gaudant, Jean; Cavallo, Oreste (2008). "The Tortonian-Messinian fish faunas of Piedmont (Italy) and the Adriatic trough: a synthesis dedicated to the memory of Carlo Sturani (1938-1975)". Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana 47 (2): 177-189. https://www.paleoitalia.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/09_Gaudant-CavalloLow.pdf.
- ↑ Baciu, Dorin-Sorin; Bannikov, Alexandre F.; Tyler, James C. (2005). "Revision of the fossil fishes of the family Zeidae (Zeiformes)". Bolletino de Museo Storia Naturale di Verona 29: 95-128. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313185274_Revision_of_the_fossil_fishes_of_the_family_Zeidae_Zeiformes.
- ↑ Santini, Francesco; Tyler, James C.; Bannikov, Alexandre F.; Baciu, Dorin-Sorin (2006). "A phylogeny of extant and fossil buckler dory fishes, family Zeidae (Zeiformes, Acanthomorpha) | SFI - Cybium" (in fr). Cybium: International Journal of Ichthyology 30 (2): 99-107. doi:10.26028/cybium/2006-302-001. https://sfi-cybium.fr/fr/phylogeny-extant-and-fossil-buckler-dory-fishes-family-zeidae-zeiformes-acanthomorpha.
- ↑ "s.v. 'John Dory', 'dory'". Oxford English Dictionary. 2019. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/john-dory_n?tab=etymology.
- ↑ The legend is noticed in Stéphan Reebs, Fish Behavior in the Aquarium and in the Wild (Cornell 1991:36); Reebs notes that the fish does not occur in the Sea of Galilee, where Peter fished.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 , Wikidata Q114871191
- ↑ Walrond, Carl (2006). "Coastal fish - Fish of the open sea floor". http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/coastal-fish/5/1.
- ↑ Acton, Eliza (1860). Modern Cookery for Private Families. Longman, Green, Longman, & Roberts. p. 58. https://archive.org/details/moderncookeryfo00actogoog.
- ↑ Staff (8 December 2014). "How to cook John Dory". Great British Chefs. https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-john-dory.
Sources
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wood, James, ed (1907). "Dory, John". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne.
External links
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Dory. |
- Article on the British Sea Fishing forum: http://britishseafishing.co.uk/john-dory/
- Photos of John Dory on Sealife Collection
Wikidata ☰ Q7045 entry
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