Fish names and species

Sphyraena speciesSphyraenidae

Barracuda is a group name for fish in the genus Sphyraena. A label that says only barracuda identifies the group, but leaves the individual species open. That distinction matters when matching a supplier's label to an agreed specification.

Ask for the full species name and a clear image of the whole fish before agreeing a substitute. For prepared cuts, retain the species identification from the original product label: the appearance of a portion alone is a poor basis for confirming which barracuda it came from.

Pomatomus saltatrixPomatomidae

Bluefish is the common name used for Pomatomus saltatrix. The word blue in a description is not a species identification, and bluefish should be distinguished from fish described as bluefin tuna or sold under another blue-coloured market name.

When comparing a whole-fish quotation with a cut-product quotation, keep the scientific name the same and describe each preparation separately. Record whether the weight refers to the whole fish or the finished cut, together with the condition in which the product will be supplied.

Platycaranx malabaricusCarangidae

Also encountered as Carangoides malabaricus

Malabar trevally belongs to the jack and trevally family. Platycaranx malabaricus is its accepted scientific name; Carangoides malabaricus is a familiar earlier combination that may still appear on specifications.

Both names can therefore appear in paperwork relating to the same species. Keep the original supplier label and agree how the species will be described on the order. A quotation that says only trevally needs a more precise identification before it can be compared with a named Malabar trevally specification.

Elagatis bipinnulataCarangidae

Also encountered as Elagatis bipinnulatus

Rainbow runner is Elagatis bipinnulata, a member of the jack family. The spelling Elagatis bipinnulatus appears in older references. Recording the accepted spelling alongside a supplier's original description helps prevent an administrative name difference from becoming a product-identification error.

Runner is a broad descriptive word, so it should be paired with the full common and scientific names on a specification. If the fish is supplied in cuts, keep its identity attached to the pack and confirm the portion-weight range separately from the weight of the original whole fish.

Alepes djedabaCarangidae

Shrimp scad is a fish in the jack family. Its scientific name is Alepes djedaba. Despite the common name, it is not shrimp or a shellfish product, so the word shrimp must not be used on its own when identifying this fish.

Write the full name shrimp scad on requests and product records, and include the scientific name where there is any possibility of confusion. For a whole-fish specification, describe size by weight per fish or an agreed count per pack. Keep those units explicit when comparing differently packed products.

Scomberoides commersonnianusCarangidae

Talang queenfish is Scomberoides commersonnianus. Queenfish is also used for other Scomberoides species, so a general queenfish description should not automatically be treated as an exact match for this named species.

Use the common name together with the scientific name on the agreed specification. When a supplier proposes another queenfish, compare the identity first, then the size, preparation and pack. Agree any substitution explicitly rather than treating a similar market name as an equivalent product.

Acanthocybium solandriScombridae

Wahoo is Acanthocybium solandri, a member of the mackerel and tuna family. Being in that family does not make wahoo interchangeable with a product labelled kingfish, mackerel or tuna. Each order still needs its own species description.

A specification for steaks should include the required thickness or portion-weight range, while a loin specification should describe the trim and whether skin is retained. Keep the preparation and weight basis clear so a price for whole fish can be distinguished from a price for a finished cut.

Hyporhamphus limbatusHemiramphidae

Congaturi halfbeak is Hyporhamphus limbatus. Valenciennes halfbeak is another name used for it. The shorter description halfbeak refers to a wider group and does not, on its own, establish that this particular species is intended.

For a buying specification, retain both the full fish name and an agreed size measurement. State whether size is measured by length, individual weight or count in a pack; these describe different things. A clear whole-fish image can also help resolve a name question before any cutting or preparation is agreed.

Moolgarda crenilabisMugilidae

Also encountered as Crenimugil crenilabis

Fringelip mullet belongs to the mullet family. It is known scientifically as Moolgarda crenilabis, with Crenimugil crenilabis still used in some references. Other mullets are separate species, so the general description mullet should be made more precise when a particular fish is required.

Preserve the scientific name shown on the supplier's label and resolve differences in naming before the specification is accepted. For whole-fish enquiries, state the individual-weight range and whether fish are required whole or cleaned. Those details provide a clearer basis for comparison than a common name and carton weight alone.

Psettodes erumeiPsettodidae

Indian halibut, also called Indian spiny turbot, is Psettodes erumei. Its common names should be kept complete: a request for halibut or turbot alone can refer to a different fish. The scientific name provides the clearest link between the requested species and the product label.

For fillets or portions, specify whether skin is retained and how the cut is to be presented. Include a finished-weight range rather than relying only on the size of the whole fish. If another flatfish is offered as an alternative, agree its identity and preparation separately.

Sardinella longicepsDorosomatidae

Indian oil sardine is Sardinella longiceps. Sardine is a market name used for several fish, and the word oil in this common name does not mean that the product has been packed in oil. Species and product preparation need to be described separately.

A useful specification states whether the request is for whole fish, cleaned fish or another preparation, together with fresh or frozen condition. For packed products, record the net weight and any count or size range. Confirm processed or canned formats as separate products rather than inferring them from the species name.

Plectorhinchus flavomaculatusHaemulidae

The name lemon sweetlips is associated here with Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus. Sweetlips names vary between references and markets, making the scientific name particularly useful when a quotation uses a different common description.

If a supplier uses only sweetlips, ask for a more exact species description and a whole-fish image. Keep that identification with the finished product when fillets or portions are prepared. The full species name, cut specification and weight range should travel together through the quotation and order.

Parupeneus macronemusMullidae

Also encountered as Parupeneus macronema

Longbarbel goatfish is Parupeneus macronemus. The earlier spelling Parupeneus macronema remains in some references. Goatfish is the wider family description; it should be qualified by a species name when the requirement is for this particular fish.

For whole-fish presentation, agree the individual-weight range and cleaning instructions. If fish are to be packed by count, confirm how that count relates to the net weight. Keep any proposed change to another goatfish species separate from a change in size or preparation: they are different specification decisions.

Gerres longirostrisGerreidae

Also encountered as Gerres acinaces

Longtail silverbiddy appears in older naming references as Gerres acinaces. That scientific name is treated as a synonym of Gerres longirostris. This is a useful example of why a scientific-name change needs to be checked rather than read as an automatic product substitution.

Silverbiddy and mojarra are broader naming terms. Keep the original name from the supplier's product record and confirm which accepted species it represents. For whole fish, a defined size range and clear image help make the specification more precise than a general market name alone.

Siganus rivulatusSiganidae

Marbled spinefoot, also called rivulated rabbitfish, is Siganus rivulatus. Rabbitfish and spinefoot are wider group names, and a general label should be checked against the exact Siganus species when one is specified.

When comparing descriptions, use the scientific name alongside the common name rather than relying on the latter alone. A whole-fish image and the supplier's species record are useful starting points. Preparation, size range and packing can then be agreed against that identified fish, instead of against an unspecified rabbitfish category.

Pomadasys speciesHaemulidae

Smallspotted grunter is a name that needs particular care. References using Pomadasys opercularis and similar spellings do not provide a simple, consistent species identification across all sources. A common-name match alone is insufficient to settle which fish a supplier intends.

Request the exact scientific name on the product label, origin and a clear whole-fish image, then resolve the identification before accepting a species-specific specification. This entry deliberately keeps the identification at genus level. It should not be used to assign a precise species to an unverified product.

Name clarification. The common name does not establish one confirmed species here. Keep the identification at genus level until the product label and whole-fish identification resolve it.

Argyrops filamentosusSparidae

Soldierbream is Argyrops filamentosus, a fish in the seabream family. The name bream appears in many product descriptions, so a seabream quotation needs more detail when the requirement is specifically for soldierbream.

Keep the scientific name on the agreed specification and compare the preparation as well as the weight. Whole fish, cleaned fish and fillets carry different weight bases. If another bream is proposed, confirm the replacement species explicitly before considering whether its size and cut meet the same kitchen requirement.

Lethrinus nebulosusLethrinidae

Spangled emperor is Lethrinus nebulosus, a member of the emperor family. Emperor, seabream and snapper are sometimes encountered together in market discussions, but the words do not establish that the fish are the same species or family.

Use the exact species name when the requirement is for spangled emperor. Describe the presentation separately: whole fish, a cleaned preparation and finished cuts should each have their own size or weight specification. A proposed substitution needs a named species and an agreed preparation, rather than a similar-looking market description.

Aurigequula fasciataLeiognathidae

Also encountered as Leiognathus fasciatus

Striped ponyfish is Aurigequula fasciata. Leiognathus fasciatus is an earlier name that is still widely encountered in identification material. These names should be reconciled when matching a supplier's description to a specification.

Use the complete common name rather than a label such as striped fish. For whole-fish packs, state whether size is expressed by individual weight, length or count, and retain the agreed unit throughout the quotation. This avoids treating a name difference and a packing difference as if they were the same issue.

Otolithes ruberSciaenidae

Tigertooth croaker is the common name associated with Otolithes ruber. Related Otolithes species also occur in regional identification work, including the Arabian tigertooth croaker. Croaker alone therefore leaves an important part of the identity unresolved.

Ask for the full species description and retain it on the product specification. For whole fish, include the individual-weight range; for fillets, include finished weight and trim. A general croaker description should be clarified before two quotations are treated as offers for the same fish.

Carcharhinus melanopterusCarcharhinidae

Blacktip reef shark is Carcharhinus melanopterus, a shark in the family Carcharhinidae. The full name matters because blacktip shark and blacktip reef shark are used for different species. A shortened common name should not be treated as a complete identification.

This entry is provided solely to explain the name. It is not a product listing or an invitation to source or purchase sharks. It makes no statement about permitted fishing, possession or trade. Those matters require current guidance from the relevant authorities.

Chaetodon nigropunctatusChaetodontidae

Mystery butterflyfish is Chaetodon nigropunctatus, a member of the butterflyfish family. Dark butterflyfish is another common description associated with the name. Butterflyfish should also be distinguished from the different fish groups called butterfish or butterfly rays.

This entry is a name reference only. It does not present butterflyfish as part of Royal Fisheries' seafood range, offer aquarium fish or suggest a substitute for a food product. For the seafood enquiries currently listed by Royal Fisheries, use the catalogue and confirm the required product with the sales team.