Description: Large (up to 90 cm) 'dinner plate-shaped' fish, with a large head and mouth. The dorsal fin has 9-10 long and sharp spines with the fin membrane in filaments between them. There is a large circular marking on each side of the fish which is ringed in yellow. Adults are off-white to yellow or grey in colour with some striping, but juveniles may be darker in colour and are occasionally almost black.

Habitat: Usually found between 10 - 150 m, but can be found both in shallow inshore bays and down to 400 m.

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland, but rarer on eastern coasts of England and Scotland.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Distinctive laterally compressed oval shape (dinner plate).
• Dorsal fin with long sharp spines.
• Large circular marking ringed in yellow on each side of fish.

Distribution Map from NBN: Zeus faber at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Zeus faber at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Zeus faber

WoRMS: Zeus faber at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Zeus faber Linnaeus, 1758. AphiaID: 127427.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Osteichthyes; Actinopterygii; Actinopteri; Teleostei; Zeiformes; Zeidae; Zeus