English Name: Oil fish
Family: GEMPYLIDAE
Local Name: Theyo mas
Order: Perciformes
Size: Max. 3 m
Specimen: MRS/0187/88
Distinctive Characters: First dorsal fin with 13-15 spines, second dorsal fin with 15-18 rays and 2 finlets. Anal fin with 15-18 rays and 2 finlets. Pectoral fin with 13-15 rays. Belly keeled, with dermal processes between pelvic fins and anus. Eye fairly largeand round. Lateral line single and often obscure. Scales cycloid (smooth). No keels on caudal peduncle. Caudal fin broad and forked.
Colour: Body uniformly violet or purplish or brown when alive. Dull brown after death.
Habitat and Biology: Benthopelagic, mostly occurring on continental shelf and oceanic slope in depths of 100 to 700 m. Feeds on a wide variety of fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods.
Distribution: World wide in warm waters.
Remarks: The specimen of Ruvettus pretiosus on which this record made was taken by gillnet from R.V. ‘Matha Han’ about 30 miles east of Male on 16 March 1988.