John dory
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
John dory are dark brown when young and turn silvery as adults.
THE REAL WORLD
The real John dory
- Scientific name
- Zeus faber
- Japanese name
- マトウダイ
- Group
- Ocean animals
- Order
- Zeiformes
- Family
- Zeidae
- Genus
- Zeus
Where the name “John dory” comes from
Another explanation of the Japanese name matou-dai is that its head resembles a horse’s head. The alternative name St Peter’s fish comes from a Bible story about Peter.
葛西臨海水族園Australian MuseumA fish that lives near the seabed. It has a thin body shaped like a leaf and usually swims slowly.
In the middle of its body is a black spot outlined in white. Some say its name comes from this spot looking like a target (mato).
It silently sneaks up on small fish and other prey, then shoots out its usually folded mouth like a tube and sucks them in.
How the John dory lives
Young fish can be seen in shallow water and move deeper as they grow. It usually lives alone rather than in a school. It also hovers near the seabed, waiting for small fish. Off New South Wales, it spawns in late summer and autumn.
沖縄美ら海水族館Australian Fisheries Management AuthorityMonterey Bay AquariumBasic data
- Size
- Total length: 50 cm
- Diet
- Shrimp, squid, fish, and other foods
- Range
- Japanese coast south of Hokkaido to the East China Sea
Where the John dory has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- マトウダイ
- 简体中文
- 日本的鲷
- 繁體中文
- 日本的鯛
- 한국어
- 달고기
- Español
- Pez de San Pedro
- Français
- Jan
- Deutsch
- Petersfisch
- Português (Brasil)
- Peixe-galo
- Italiano
- Pesce San Pietro
- العربية
- ضوري مذهب
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Ikan dory
- Tiếng Việt
- Cá dây Nhật Bản
- Русский
- Обыкновенный солнечник
- Türkçe
- Dülger balığı
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 葛西臨海水族園 — マトウダイChecked: 2026-11-03
- 沖縄美ら海水族館 — マトウダイChecked: 2026-11-05
- Monterey Bay Aquarium — John doryChecked: 2026-11-05
- Australian Museum — John DoryChecked: 2026-11-05
- Australian Fisheries Management Authority — John doryChecked: 2026-11-06
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
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