Butterfish is a small, round fish distinguishable by its thin, deep body and lack of pelvic or ventral fins. Butterfish has a soft-rayed dorsal fin running along the length of its back and an anal fin almost as long. Its tail is deeply forked, and the pectoral fins are long and pointed. Butterfishes are found in warm and temperate seas and are categorized by a small mouth, forked tail, and a single dorsal fin. Like the related rudderfishes (Centrolophidae) and man-of-war fishes (Nomeidae), they also have peculiar, toothed outpocketings in the esophagus. It is considered a source of iodine, an essential nutrient for human health. The delicate and delicious butterfish, endemic to New Zealand, is a source of several nutrients important for human health.
| Name | Butterfish |
|---|---|
| Native | New Zealand |
| Common/English Name | Shiner, Butters, Dollarfish. |
| Name in Other Languages | Greek: Eídos (είδος), Tsipoúras (τσιπούρας) Chinese: Liū huá de yú (溜滑的鱼); Chāng (鲳) Spanish: Pez Manteca Dutch: Botervis Portuguese: Peixe-manteiga (tipo de peixe) Turkish: Küçük yenilebilir balık Italian: Piccolo pesce commestibile French: Stromatée, petit poisson de l’Atlantique German: Butterfisch, kleiner essbarer Fisch Japanese: Batāfisshu (バターフィッシュ), Uroko ni numeri no aru gyorui (鱗にぬめりのある魚類) Hebrew: דג החמאה Korean: (eolyu) beoteopisi ((어류) 버터피시) Swedish: Smörfisk |
| Growing Encironment | Found in warm and temperate seas |
| Fish Shape & Size | About 12 inches long; the general run are about 6 to 9 inches long. |
| Fish Color | Leaden bluish above, pale on the sides, with numerous irregular dark spots which fade after death. The belly is silvery. |
| Fish Weight | Weight runs about 1¾ ounces at 6 inches, 4 to 4½ ounces at 8 inches; about 1 pound at 11 inches (if fat). |
| Flavor/Aroma | Delicate flavor |
| Major Nutrition | Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamine) 0.61 µg (25.42%) Selenium, Se 11.7 µg (21.27%) Isoleucine 0.255 g (15.25%) Lysine 0.508 g(15.19%) Tryptophan 0.062 g (14.09%) Threonine 0.243 g (13.81%) Valine 0.285 g (13.49%) Histidine 0.163 g (13.23%) Leucine 0.45 g (12.18%) Protein 5.53 g (11.06%) Phosphorus, P 77 mg (11.00%) |
| Calories in 1 Fillet (32 g) | 47 K cal |