Gulf butterfish (Peprilus burti)

Scientific name: Peprilus burti Fowler, 1944

Gulf butterfish (Peprilus burti)

The Gulf butterfish (Peprilus burti) is a marine fish of the family Stromateidae.

Biology

A pelagic fish forming large loose schools across the continental shelf over sand/mud bottoms; depth range from 2 to 275 m at least, but most abundant at 155 to 225 m; found near the bottom during the day and migrating into the water column at night. Juveniles often found under floating weeds and with jellyfish. Adults feed on jellyfish, small fish, crustaceans, and worms; the juveniles are plankton and jellyfish feeders. Mature within 1 year and rarely lives past 2; spawning takes place at discrete intervals twice a year slightly offshore. Highly esteemed for food, marketed fresh and frozen; caught mainly with otter trawls.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Peprilus burti
Family
Stromateidae (Butterfishes)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
25.0
Depth range
2–275 m (7–902 ft)
Environment
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 2 - 275 m, usually 155 - 225 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: entire Gulf of Mexico, from Tampa region in Florida, USA to Yucatan in Mexico; also in Virginia to northeastern Florida, USA (but possibly representing P. tricanthus instead, ).
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm=1; tmax=2; k >0.3)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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