Sealife guideThe john doryZeus faber

Last updated on 09/16/2026 at 09:58 PM

Taxonomy

English names John doryDory

French namesPoisson Saint PierreDoré

Spanish namesPez de San Pedro

Scientific nameZeus faber (Linnaeus, 1758)

FamilyZeidae

OrderZeiformes

ClassActinopterygii

Description

The John Dory has a very flat, disk-shaped body, like a « pancake ».

The john dory (Zeus faber) © Iliuta Goean | Dreamstime.com

The John Dory averages about 16 inches in length, but the largest specimens can reach up to twice that size.

At first glance, you will quickly notice the features that characterize this fish:

a large black spot surrounded by a pale halo in the middle of its body,
large, elongated fins equipped with long spines
and a large head with a wide mouth.

The John Dory's dorsal fin has long spines that give the fish a «ruffled appearance».

The John Dory has a greenish body with broad, darker longitudinal marbling and silvery reflections, which have earned it the name «dory».

Geographic range

The John Dory is found in the western Indian Ocean, the eastern Atlantic Ocean (from Norway to South Africa), the Mediterranean Sea, along the English Channel coast, the Black Sea, and the western Pacific Ocean (Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand).

Habitat

The John Dory is a pelagic fish that is particularly associated with waters close to the seafloor. It occasionally comes close to the surface but prefers greater depths, and you are more likely to encounter it at depths of around 164 feet or more.

The John Dory's preferred depth range is between 164 and 492 feet. In addition, you will most often encounter it alone, as the John Dory is a solitary fish.

Diet

The John Dory feeds in the area where it lives, close to the seafloor. It ambushes smaller fish, sucking them into its large mouth, and occasionally feeds on cephalopods or crustaceans such as crabs.

The John Dory is easily recognizable by its distinctive black spot and large fins © Opossum sous licence Creative Commons

Reproduction

The John Dory reproduces sexually and reaches sexual maturity at around 4 years of age. The female releases her eggs into the open water.

Did you know ?

According to legend, the French name Saint Pierre comes from the black spot found on each side of the fish, which is said to represent the imprint of the apostle Peter's thumb when he caught this fish and removed a stater, a gold coin of the time, from its mouth.

The John Dory gets its name from the black spot said to represent the imprint of the apostle Peter's thumb

Jesus said to him, « … go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. …»
Excerpt from the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 17, verse 27

This distinctive mark is therefore said to have been passed down from generation to generation through the ages.

The john dory is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The john dory appears in the IUCN Red List since 2015 within the category Data Deficient !

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