Pomfret

Pomfrets are scombriform fish belonging to the family Bramidae. The family currently includes 20 species across seven genera.<ref name = Fishbase /> Several species are important food sources for humans, especially Brama brama in South Asia. The earlier form of the pomfret's name was "Template:Sic", a word which probably ultimately comes from Portuguese pampo, referring to various fish such as the blue butterfish (Stromateus fiatola). The fish meat is white in color.

Distribution

They are found globally in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as numerous seas including the Norwegian, Mediterranean, and Sea of Japan.<ref name = Mead>Template:Cite journal</ref> Nearly all species can be found in the high seas. However, fish in the genera Pterycombus and Pteraclis tend to be found off continental shelves. Further, fishes in the genus Eumegistus are hypothesized to be largely benthic and found to occupy deep water shelves.<ref name = Mead/>

Some species of pomfrets are also known as monchong, specifically in Hawaiian cuisine.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Genera

The following genera are placed within the family Bramidae:<ref name = Fishbase/><ref name = CofF>Template:Cof family</ref>

• Brama Bloch & Schneider, 1801
• Eumegistus Jordan & Jordan, 1922
• Pteraclis Gronow, 1772
• Pterycombus Fries, 1837
• Taractes Lowe, 1843
• Taractichthys Mead & Maul, 1958
• Xenobrama Yatsu & Nakamura, 1989

The following fossil genera are also known:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• ?†Bramoides Casier, 1966
• ?†Goniocranion Casier, 1966 (possibly a lampriform)
• †Paucaichthys Baciu & Bannikov, 2003

The fossil genus Digoria was also previously placed with the Bramidae, but is now known to be a beardfish.

See also

• Several species of butterfishes in the genus Pampus are also known as "pomfrets".
• List of fish families