silvery john dory
Zenopsis conchifer
Silvery fish that forms small schools over mud bottoms, from the Brazilian coast to Argentina, and feeds on fish and squid.
Also called: são-pedro, galho, san pedro, silver john dory
- maximum
- 80 cm
- record/max.
- 3.2 kg
- depth
- 150–300 m
who is the silvery john dory
Fish of the family Zeidae, with a short, deep body, reaching 80 cm and weighing up to 3.2 kg. It lives near the bottom or in midwater, over mud bottoms, usually between 150 and 300 m. It forms small schools and often appears in coastal waters. It feeds on fish and squid. It occurs from Venezuela and Colombia to the coasts of Brazil and Argentina, through the Guianas. It has a commercial fishery.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the silvery john dory.
identification
Silvery body, short and deep, with a dark spot on the flank, just behind and slightly above the base of the pectoral fin. The membranes of the spiny dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins are dark. To recognize it, look at this flank spot and the dark color of the fins.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it occurs from Venezuela and Colombia to the coasts of Brazil and Argentina, passing through the Guianas and Trinidad.
Habitat: Mud bottoms of the shelf and slope, from 150 to 300 m, near the bottom or in midwater.
coast
rules for the silvery john dory
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to the angler. As it lives in deep bottom waters, it can suffer barotrauma if brought up quickly to the surface, so release it with care.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01349, b = 2.93; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Zenopsis conchifer (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Zenopsis conchiferNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.