Fish names in Spain

I started to visit Spain regularly almost ten years ago and was initially overwhelmed by the quantity and variety of fish available locally. This shouldn't have been a surprise as we stay in Santa Pola, one of the most important fishing towns on the Spanish Mediterranean.  But what were all these strange fish that are rarely if ever seen in England?  Translating the names into English was not always a help in finding out how to cook them as I was unfamiliar with many of the English names – I've never knowingly eaten Wrasse or Comber or Drum in England!

But then there are added problems in Spain. Not only is there the possibility of confusion by the use of regional names and different  languages (in addition to Castillian Spanish, the Basque, Gallician, Catalan and Valencian languages are much in use) but sometimes the same name is used to describe different kinds of fish or a generic name is used for several species within the same family.

Many of the fish in the Spanish markets are not available in the UK, but as I was familiar with several species available in France, I thought it might help to  compare the French names.  On occasions it has been helpful but on others it has only added to the confusion! Sometimes the translation is very similar.  For example, the Spanish name for Bluefin tuna, usually just labelled tuna in England, is simply Atún or Atún rojo in Spain and in French Thon or Thon rouge.  However, Longfin tuna is known as Albacore in England and Albacora  in Spain but not in France, where they refer to Yellowfin Tuna as Albacore.

The Longfin Tuna (English Albacore) is the only fish that can be labelled “white meat tuna” in the United States. The most highly prized in Spain are the line caught ones, the loins of which are canned or bottled as Bonito del Norte.  In Gallicia it is referred to as Atún blanco and sometimes as Thon Blanc in France. (although he French have another name, Germon).  

The best way to be certain what fish you are eating is to go to the scientific name but you cannot always rely on this for connecting with the popular or market name. Although the Longfin tuna is known as Albacore in English and Albacora in Spanish,its scientific name is Thunnus alalunga (known in Italy as Alalonga), but the scientific name for the Yellowfin tuna is Thunnus albacares! So it would appear that the French and Italian names in this case are more closely related to the scientific name than Spanish or English.

But there is more confusion to come because the prized Bonito del Norte is not Bonito, it's Albacore!
Bonito (Sarda sarda) is a separate but related species in the Mackerel family. In Spain it is simply called Bonito and Bonite à dos rayé in France. (Although in northern Spain Albacore is often called Bonito).

The Skipjack tuna, which is rare in the Mediterranean, but common the the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and sometimes referred to in English as Oceanic Bonito, is known in France as Bonite à ventre rayé.  In Spain it is commonly called Listado or Alistado but there are different regional names.

Before causing any more confusion (I refer you back to my blogs on Colin and thePorbeagle shark) I have compiled a list of Spanish fish with their English and French names.  I started off by including only those fish which I had actually seen named on fish stalls, in fish markets or supermarkets in south-eastern Spain.  I have added a few related species , however, where they have been referred to in recipes and other books that I have studied.

All the Spanish names shown in Bold are ones I have actually observed and where  a name is used to describe more than one kind of fish it is starred *

This is very much a “work in progress” and is possibly wrong in some places. I would welcome corrections, additions, amendments and comments.

John's Spanish Fish Directory

SPANISH Pescado	ENGLISH Fish	FRENCH Poisson
Oilyfish (Bluefish)
Boquerón Anchoa	Anchovy	Anchois
Sardina	Sardine (small) Pilchard (adult)	Sardine
Caballa Verdel	Mackerel	Maquereau
Saboga	Shad	Alose feinte
Melva	Frigate Mackerel	Melva Bonitou
Estornino	Chub Mackerel	Maquereau  Espagnole
Bonito Albacora Bonito del Norte Atún blanco (Gal)	Bonito (Longfin tuna) Albacore*	Bonite* Bonite à dos rayé Germon Thon blanc
Atún	Tuna (Bluefin tuna) Tunny	Thon rouge
Atún claro Atún blanco (Gal) Albacares Rabil	Yellow fin tuna	Albacore*
Listado Alistado Palomida	Skipjack tuna	Bonite à ventre rayé
Bacoreta	Little tunny	Thonine
Mojama	Salted, dried tuna
Espadin	Sprat Brisling	Esprot
Arenque	Herring	Hareng
Botargo/Botarga	Dried Tuna Roe (sometimes Mullet)
Bream (porgy)
Dorada Orada	Gilt-head bream	Dorade royale, Daurade royale
Besugo Goraz Bogaraval	Axillary sea bream Sea bream Blackspot sea bream Blue-spotted bream*	Béryx Dorade Fausse daurade Bogaravelle
Palometa negra Zapatero Japuta Castañeta negra	Ray’s Bream	Castagnole Brème de mer
Palometa roja	Red sea bream
Dentón Urta	Dentex	Denté
Pargo Pagre	Common sea bream Red bream	Pagré
Sargo	White sea bream	Sar commun Sar Sargue
Aligote Besuc	Bronze bream	Pageot blanc Bézuque
Chopa	Black bream	Griset
Boga	Bogue	Bogue
Mabré, Marbré Herrera	Striped sea bream
Zapata, Botargo	Blue spotted Sea Bream*
Mojarra	Two banded sea bream	Sar doré
Maily-cheeked fish
Rascacio Escorpion*	(Black) Scorpion fish	Rascasse noire
Cabracho Gallineta	(Red) Scorpion fish	Rascasse rouge
Escórpora	Small scorpion fish	Petite rascasse
Arete Rubio* Gallineta*	Red gurnard	Grondin rouge*
Arete aletón	Longfin gurnard	Grondin sombre
Borrach Borracho Perlon	Grey gurnard	Grondin gris
Cabete	Large scaled gurnard	Cavillone
Malarmat Armado Armat Malarmado	Armed gurnard	Malarmat
Rubio*	Streaked gurnard	Grondin (rouge)*
Red Mullet
Salmonete de fango	Red mullet	Rouget barbet
Salmonete de roca	Red mullet	Rouget de roche
Grey Mullet
Pardete Pardetón Mújol Lisa* Mugil	Grey mullet	Mulet cabot
Galúna	Leaping grey mullet	Mulet sauteur
Galupe	Gold grey mullet	Mulet doré
Lisa* Llisa Lissa	Thick lipped  grey mullet	Mulet lippu Lissa
Botargo/Botarga	Dried salted roe
Seabass family
Lubina Llobarro Llop	Sea bass	Bar Loup de mer
Mero	Grouper (Sea perch)	Mérou
Cherne de ley	Bronze/White Grouper	Mérou blanc
Cherne Dentón	Dogtooth Grouper	Mérou noir
Falso Abadejo	Golden Grouper*	Badèche
Gitano	Golden Grouper*	Abadèche rouge
Cabrilla	Comber*	Serran
Serrano Imperial	Comber*	Serran à queue noire
Serrano	Comber*	Serran écriture
Merillo	Brown comber	Tambour
Flat fish
Rodaballo	Turbot	Turbot
Gallo* Gallitos Lliseria	Megrim Whiff Sail-fluke	Cardine Fausse limande*
Hipogloso Flet*	Halibut	Flétan
Rémol Rombo Rapante	Brill	Barbue
Solla	Plaice*	Plie Carrelet
Platija*	Plaice*	Plie
Platija* Platusa	Flounder Fluke	Flet*
Limanda	Dab	Limande
Lenguado*	Dover sole	Sole
Lenguado* Sortija	French sole	Sole pôle
Lenguado* Suela		Sole de Klein Sole tachetée
Mendolimon	Lemon Sole	Limande sole
Solleta		Fausse Limande*
Tambour Real Soldat		Sole ocellée
Cartilaginous fish including Rays & skates, sharks
Raya* de clavos Raya* commun	Thornback ray	Raie bouclée
Raya* Noriega	Skate	Raie Pocheteau gris
Angelote	Angel-shark Angel fish Monkfish*	Ange de mer
Pez perro Cazón* Mielga Alitán	Dogfish Huss Rock salmon	Roussette
Rosada	Dogfish or other small shark fillets
Caillón Cailón, Marraxo Marratzo Marraix Marratso mutormotz	Porbeagle shark Mackerel shark*	Veau de Mer Requin Taupe Taupe Maraîche
Morrajo Marrajo Marraxo azul Marrazo muturluze	Shortfin Mako Mackerel shark*	Requin-taupe bleu
Cazón	Tope School shark Mackerel shark*	Requin-hâ Milandre
Cod family
Merluza	Hake	Merlu Merluche Colin*
Bacalao	Cod	Cabillaud
Bacalao	Saltcod Stockfish	Morue sale
Abadejo*	Pollachius pollachius : Pollack Pollock	Lieu* Lieu jaune Colin*
Abadejo* Palero	P. virens : Coley Coalfish Saithe	Lieu* Lieu noir Colin noir
Faneca Abadejo*	Pout Pouting Pout whiting Sea pout Bib	Tacaud Moue
Egelfino	Haddock	Églefin
Capellán	Capelin Poor Cod	Capelan
Merlán Plegonero Maira*	Whiting	Merlan
Maira* Bacaladilla	Blue Whiting	Poutassou
Maruca Arbitán	Ling Blue Ling	Lingue
Other white fish
Rape Rata de mar	Monkfish Anglerfish	Lotte (de mer) Baudroie
Palometón	Leerfish Garrick	Liche
Anguila	Eel	Anguille
Angula	Elver	Civelle
Congrio	Conger Eel	Congre
Morena	Moray Eel	Murène
Espetón	Barracuda	Brochet de mer
Pámpano	Pomfret	Fiatole
Pez espada Emperador	Swordfish	Espadon
Pez de San Pedro Gall Gallo Pedro Gallo*	John Dory	Saint-Pierre
Pez gato	Catfish	Poisson chat
Corvina	Meagre	Maigre Sciène
Corbina Tambour	Croaker Drum Meagre	Tambour Maigre
Corvallo	Corb	Corb
Pez de Limón	Amberjack	Sériole
Chicharro Chicharillo Jurel	Horse Mackerel Scad	Chinchard
Merlo	Wrasse	Girelle
Vieja Vieja Colorada	Parrotfish	Perroquet-viellard
Escorpión* Araña blanca	Weever	Vive
Vibora	Weever	Vive rayée
Pez cinto	Scabbard fish	Sabre
Pejerrey Chuleto Chuclet/xauclet Eperalanós	Sand smelt Smelt	Prêtre Siouclet Sauclet Eperlan*
Pes de Rey	Kingfish
Crustaceans
Quisquilla* Quisquilla d’arena	Brown shrimp	Crevette grise
Camarón Quisquilla*	Prawn	Crevette rose
Carabinero	Prawn	Crevette rouge
Langostino	Prawn	Caramote Crevette
Gamba	Prawn	Crevette  rose du large
Cigala	Dublin Bay prawn Langoustine Norway Lobster	Langoustine
Bogavante	Lobster	Homard
Langosta	Spiny lobster Rock lobster Crayfish	Langouste
Cigarra Cigala gran	Flat lobster Slipper lobster	(Grande) Cigale
Buey	Common crab	Tourtue
Cangrejo	Shore crab	Crabe Crabe vert
Nécora	Swimming crab Blue crab	Étrille
Centolla	Spider crab	Araignée
Gallera/Galera	Mantis shrimp	Squille
Percebe	Goose-necked barnacle	Pouce-pied
Oreja de mar	Ormer Abalone	Ormeau
Lapa	Limpet	Patelle
Caracole gris	Sea Snail Whelk*	Bigorneau Escargot de mer
Cañadilla	Murex*	Rocher épineux
Busano	Murex*	Rocher à pourpre
Bigaro Caracolillo	Winkle	Bigorneau
Caracola Bocin	Whelk*	Buccin
Ostra	Oyster	Huître
Mejillon	Mussel	Moule
Datil de mar	Date-shell	Datte de mer
Nacár	Fan mussel	Jambonneau
Viera Concha Peregrina	Pilgrim Scallop	Coquille Saint-Jacques
Zamburiña	Scallop	Pétoncle
Berberecho	Cockle*	Coque
Almendra de mar	Dog-cockle	Amande de mer
Berberecho (verde) Verdigón	Cockle*	Coque/glauque
Langostillo Bereberecho verrucoso Escupiña	Cockle*	Bucarde
Almeja	Clam
Verigueto Escupiña grabada	Warty Venus Clam	Praire Italian: Vongola
Chirla	Striped Venus Clam	Petite praire Italian: Vongola
Almeja fina	Carpet shell Clam	Palourde
Almeja Babosa Choch	Venus shell Clam	Poulette Coque bleu
Almeja dorada	Golden carpet shell Clam	Clovisse
Navaja Muergo Longueirón	Razor-shell clam	Couteau
Cephalopods
Jibia Sèpia	Cuttlefish Inkfish	Seiche
Castaño Choquito Chopito* Chipirón* Choco Globito	Little cuttlefish Little “bobtail”	Sepiole
Chopito* Chipirón*	Little squid
Calamar Puntill Loligo Sepia	Squid	Encornet
Volador Pota	Flying squid Ilex squid	Calmar
Pulpo	Octopus	Poulpe
Other seafood
Erizo de mar	Sea Urchin	Oursin
Ortiga de mar	Sea anemone	Ortie de mer
Freshwater fish
Lucio	Pike SA: Snoek	Brochet
Perca	Perch	Perche
Trucha	Trout	Truite
Carpa	Carp	Carpe
Salmón	Salmon	Saumon
Lucioperco	Pike perch Sander Zander	Sandre
Trucha asalmonada Trucha Marina	Salmon trout Sea trout	Truite saumonée Truite de mer
Lamprea	Lamprey
Cangrejo de rio Ástaco	Crayfish
Tenca	Tench

08.09.2019