Escolar

Not to be confused with Snake mackerel.

Lepidocybium flavobrunneum

The escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) is a species of fish in the family Gempylidae. It is also known as the snake mackerel. It is the only species in the genus Lepidocybium.

Description

The escolar is dark brown, growing darker with age until it is quite black. They can't metabolize the wax esters (gempylotoxin) naturally found in its diet. This gives the escolar an oil content of 14–25% in its flesh.

Mislabeling

Escolar on ice

Restaurants can sometimes confuse escolar for other fish. In 2009, "tuna" samples from sushi restaurants in New York City and Denver were DNA-tested. Five of nine restaurants serving fish labeled "white tuna", "white tuna (albacore)" or "super white tuna" were serving escolar.

Related pages

• Snake mackerel, a relative of the escolar
• Abadzekhia, an extinct relative from the Oligocene

References

1. Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Williams, J.; Pina Amargos, F.; Curtis, M.; Grijalba Bendeck, L. (2015). "Lepidocybium flavobrunneum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T190287A16510672. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T190287A16510672.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.