John Dory
The John Dory is a distinctive, elongated fish characterized by its golden color and unique white markings, often referred to as "Saint Peter's fish" due to legends associated with Saint Peter and its unusual appearance. Typically found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean, it thrives at depths ranging from 30 to 160 feet, preferring to inhabit areas near the ocean floor in shallower waters. The John Dory can grow up to 28 inches in length and weigh up to 12 pounds, with males generally smaller than females.
This carnivorous fish primarily feeds on smaller fish such as sardines and young herring, employing a unique hunting technique where it uses its elongated body to blend into its surroundings. Reproduction occurs during different seasons depending on its geographic location, with spawning involving the female releasing eggs and the male fertilizing them as they float in the water.
Despite its culinary popularity in restaurants, the John Dory is not considered a threatened species and can live up to 12 years in the wild. Its unusual name and striking appearance have led to various cultural legends, contributing to its fascination across diverse communities.
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John Dory
The John Dory is a tall, thin, golden fish that can be found in Europe, Oceania, Africa, and Asia. There are many legends and tales that attempt to explain this fish's unusual name and the unusual marking it has on each of its sides.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Zeiformes
Family: Zeidae
Genus: Zeus
Species: Faber
The John Dory is a tall, compressed, or vertically flat, golden fish with white markings. When looked at from the front, the John Dory appears as little more than a long, thin oval with bulging black eyes. The John Dory generally grows to be about 15 to 24 inches (38 to 61 centimeters) long, although the female can reach lengths of up to 28 inches (71 centimeters). While the male weighs an average of five to seven pounds (two to three kilograms), the female may weigh as much as 12 pounds (5 1/2 kilograms).
There are many legends about the John Dory. Some regard the origin of this fish's name, while others focus on the unusual spots on its sides. The most likely explanation for the name dory is found in the French word doree, which means golden. The explanation for this fish's first name is not as simple. Some say the Dory gained the first name John during the 1700s. They say the fish was named after a French sailor nicknamed John Dory. This golden fish with the unusual name is also odd in its skin markings. The John Dory has a large, yellow spot on each side of its body. This spot is sometimes called the Saint Peter's thumb print. An old legend describes Saint Peter taking a gold coin from a John Dory's mouth. When he did this, each of his thumbs left a marking on the fish's side. Because of this legend, the John Dory is also known as the Saint Peter's fish.
Like other fish, the John Dory has to have oxygen to survive. It gets the oxygen it needs from the water in which it lives. The John Dory opens its mouth and takes in water. It then keeps the oxygen from the water and filters out the waste chemicals through the gills on the sides of its head.
The John Dory lives in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It may be found as far north as Norway and as far south as the Cape of Good Hope around South Africa. It can also be found in Asian waters and waters surrounding Oceania. The John Dory generally lives near shore in depths of about 30 to 160 feet (nine to 53 meters). In shallow water, the John Dory usually lives near the ocean floor, but in deeper waters it stays closer to the surface. The John Dory usually swims alone, but sometimes joins in small schools, or groups.
The John Dory is a carnivorous, or meat-eating, fish. The John Dory feeds on a variety of fish including sand smelts, sardines, sprats, young herring, cuttlefish, and squid. Since the John Dory is such a thin fish, it is able to swim in and out of reeds to avoid being seen by its prey. When it gets close enough to its prey to catch it, the John Dory drops its lower jaw and sucks in the unsuspecting fish.
Mating season for the John Dory varies according to its location. In the Mediterranean Sea, the John Dory mates during the spring, but farther north along the Atlantic it mates during the summer. The John Dory never mates farther north than the Irish Sea. When the female John Dory releases her eggs, the male John Dory swims over them and fertilizes them. This process of releasing and fertilizing eggs is known as spawning. The John Dory's eggs float along the waves until the young hatch.
Sharks and larger fish may prey upon the John Dory. Humans often eat the John Dory in restaurants. The life span of the John Dory is up to 12 years. The John Dory is not a threatened species.
Bibliography
“John Dory.” Oceana, oceana.org/marine-life/john-dory. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
“John Dory.” Animalia, 2024, animalia.bio/john-dory. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.