What is "louvar"

alt. (taxlink Luvarus imperialis species noshow=1), a large ellipsoidal perciform fish related to the surgeonfish. n. (taxlink Luvarus imperialis species noshow=1), a large ellipsoidal perciform fish related to the surgeonfish.

n. large silvery fish found worldwide in warm seas but nowhere common; resembles a whale and feeds on plankton [syn: Luvarus imperialis]

The louvar or luvar, Luvaris imperialis, is a species of perciform fish, the only extant species in the genus Luvaris and family Luvaridae. It is closely related to the surgeonfish. The juvenile form has a pair of spines near the base of the tail, like the surgeonfish, though they are lost in the adult.

It is a large, ellipsoidal fish, growing to long, though most do not exceed . The greatest weight recorded for this species is . It is pink in color and possesses a characteristic bulging forehead.

It is found in surface waters of temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world where it can be found at depths of from near the surface to . It feeds on jellyfish, ctenophores, and other soft-bodied planktonic animals. It is hardly ever found in fish markets in the United States, only as bycatch, but is prized as an eating fish.