Fish of the Polyprion genus of the Polyprionidae (wreckfish) family of the superfamily Percoidea of the Percoidei suborder of the Perciformes order of the Acanthopterygii superorder.
(Wreckfish. Photo by © Pedro Niny Duarte(c)ImagDOP. fishbase.org)
Wreckfish, or Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) was first described in 1801 by the German naturalists Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider (1750-1822) and Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723-1799).
It inhabits the depth of 40-600 meters, usually 100-200 meters. It inhabits caves, shipwrecks and other shelters. Juveniles are found near the surface, sometimes hiding under drifting objects. Mature fish are usually solitary predators. The maximum recorded length is 210 cm, specimens up to 80 cm long are more common. The maximum weight is about 100 kilograms. It feeds on large crustaceans, cephalopods, and fish.
(Wreckfish. Photo by © Antoine Dray. pictolife.net)
It is a rare permanent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea, which is more often found in its southern part.
Names of wreckfish, or Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) in other languages as follows:
Kerr fundi (Albanian), Американски бибан (Amerikanski biban) (Bulgarian), Wrakbaars (Dutch), Βλάχος (Vljahos) (Greek), Cherna (Spanish), Cernia di fondale (Italian), Wrakoń (Polish), Cherna (Portuguese), Американский полиприон (Amerikanskij poliprion) (Russian), Kernja glavata, Kirnja glavulja, Kirnja dubinska (Serbian, Croatian), Orjaška kirnja, Brodolomčar (Slovenian), İskorpithanisi balığı (Turkish), Cernier commun (French).