Pomfret
Pomfrets are perciform fish belonging to the family Bramidae. The family currently includes 20 species across seven genera. Several species are important food sources for humans, especially Brama brama in South Asia. The earlier form of the pomfret's name was "", a word which probably ultimately comes from Portuguese pampo, referring to various fish such as the blue butterfish (Stromateus fiatola). The fish meat is white in color. Distribution They are found globally in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as numerous seas including the Norwegian, Mediterranean, and Sea of Japan. Nearly all species can be found in the high seas. However, fish in the genera Pterycombus and Pteraclis tend to be found off continental shelves. Further, fishes in the genus Eumegistus are hypothesized to be largely benthic and found to occupy deep water shelves. Some species of pomfrets are also known as monchong, specifically in Hawaiian cuisine. Genera The following genera are placed within the family Bramidae: Brama Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Eumegistus Jordan & Jordan, 1922 Pteraclis Gronow, 1772 Pterycombus Fries, 1837 Taractes Lowe, 1843 Taractichthys Mead & Maul, 1958 Xenobrama Yatsu & Nakamura, 1989 See also Several species of butterfishes in the genus Pampus are also known as "pomfrets". List of fish families References af:Pomfret (vis)