A fish of a large kind with a smooth skin found on the coast of Guinea.
Word of the Day: Catachrestical
A large oceanic fish (Lampris quttatus), inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean. It is remarkable for its brilliant colors, which are red, green, and blue, with tints of purple and gold, covered with round silvery spots. Called also king of the herrings.
Opah
Encyclopedia Britannica
OPAH(Lampris lund), a pelagic fish of the family Coryphaenidae. or Dolphins. It differs from the typical dolphins (Coryjjhaena) materially in the shape of its body and the structure of the ventral fins. Instead of being elongate, the body is compressed and deep (more so than in the bream), and destitute of distinct scales. A long dorsal fin, high, and pointed anteriorly, runs along nearly the whole length of the back; the caudal is strong and deeply cleft. The ventral fins are broad paddles pointed at the extremity, and composed of numerous rays. This latter character is quite exceptional in the order of spiny-rayed fishes, but finds its explanation in the habits of the fish. A pelagic fish with so deep a body and so short a tail as those of the opah requires additional propelling power to be able to find or pursue its prey; and therefore to the ordinary function of the ventral fins, which in other fishes is confined to balancing the body in the water, has been superadded that of locomotion....
In its gorgeous colours the opah surpasses even the dolphins, all the fins being of a bright scarlet. It is only occasionally found near the shore; its real home is the Atlantic, especially near Madeira and the Azores, but many captures are recorded from Great Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia; it strays as far north as Iceland and Newfoundland, and probably southwards to the latitudes of the coast of 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 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 country. From its habit of coming to the surface in calm weather, showing its high dorsal fin above the water, it has also received the name of “sun-fish,” which it shares with Oτthagoriscus and the basking shark. It grows to a length of 4 to 5 feèt and a weight exceeding 100 lb, and is highly esteemed on account of the excellent flavour of its flesh.
9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 17, p. 777
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[371 words — estimated reading time: 3 minutes]
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