CIBED - - Oilfish

Ruvettus pretiosus Oilfish Vena ^RR

f.GEMPYLIDAE Snake Mackerels

Ruvettus pretiosus Oilfish Vena ^RR

f.GEMPYLIDAE Snake Mackerels

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesOilfish ^EN Castor‑oil Fish ^EN

Local NamesVena^{RR,MG,AK,PL,TNs,TNw} Kuravena^AT,MK,MT Palu Taeyī^PK

Pacific NamesUravena ^TAH

Sci. NamesRuvettus pretiosus (accepted name)

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, spc.Fishes, c.Bony Fishes, f.Snake Mackerels - Bony Fish

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.PISCES, c.OSTEICHTHYES, o.Perciformes, so.Scombroidei, f.GEMPYLIDAE

Natl. PresencePresentOceanic^P

Sth. PresenceRR^PMG^PAT?MK^PMT?AK?PL^PMN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN⁺⁺MH?RK?PK⁺⁺⁺NS?SW?

VouchersRR¹⁹⁹⁹ MG²⁰⁰⁰ MK²⁰⁰¹ PL¹⁹⁸⁸ TN¹⁹⁸⁵ PK²⁰⁰⁴ CIS¹⁹⁹³

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: circumtropical to temperate;

HabitatAquatic; Marine; Nearshore, Deep slope; Oceanic

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesFlesh food (rarely)

IdentificationA thickset fish commonly to 150cm SL (max 300cm!).

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 4
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BB447_Ruve-pret_

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Illustration

Penrhyn voucher specimen, MMR

Whole animal (b&w illustration)

Fisherman's catch, CINews 11-1-99

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Oilfish ^EN Castor-oil Fish^EN

Pacific Names

Uravena ^TAH

Local Names

Vena^{RR,MG,AK,PL,TNs,TNw} Kuravena^AT,MK,MT Palu Taeyī^PK

National Name: Vena ^RR

Notes: Mauke: Taratara to 1m SL.

Island	Status	Main name	Growth stage names
National name	RR	Vena
Rarotonga	P	Vena
Mangaia	P	Vena	Kurāvena < Vena
Ātiu		Kuravena	Tatara < Kuravena
Ma‘uke	P	Kuravena	Taratara < Kuravena
Miti‘āro		Kuravena	Tātara < Kuravena
Aitutaki		Vena	Tarā Vena < Vena < Vena ‘Akakāoa
Palmerston	P	Vena
Tongareva-write	++	Vena
Tongareva-speak	++	Vena
Manihiki		?P,?N
Rakahanga		?P,?N
Pukapuka	+++	Palu Taeyī	Palu Kilitala < Palu Wala
Nassau		?P,?N

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Present

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	Present
Mangaia	Present
Ātiu
Ma‘uke	Present
Miti‘āro
Aitutaki
Palmerston	Present
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva	++
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	+++
Nassau
Suwarrow

Note: S.Group - widespread; N.Group - widespread

Vouchers for:
Ruvettus pretiosus

Cook Islands _____ 1993 4bm book report Nakamura & Parin 1993, Snake Mackerels... FAO Fish Synop. 15 (125).

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga _____ 1999 3fvP fieldvisual+photo photo CI News 11/1/99 caught Rupe Rima, ID G.McCormack.

Mangaia _____ 2000 3fvP fieldvisual+photo photo Sue Ngatokorua, 9/2000, ID G.McCormack.

Ātiu

Ma‘uke _____ 2001 2fs fieldspecimen fieldspecimen, College, 3/2001, ID G.McCormack.

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston _____ 1988 1cs specimen specimen 2x30kg ID N.Sims in N.Sims 1988; Listed (Preston95)

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva _____ 1985 4bm book report listed in T&P85.

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fsP fieldspecimen+photo 4xfieldspecimen+photo, largest 170cm T, 2/2004, deepbottom dropline, Marurai Marurai, Vigo Jnr. Vigo, and Casper Vigo, ID G.McCormack.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.29 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Ruvettus pretiosus

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Ruvettus pretiosus

Citation Information

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Vouchers for:
Ruvettus pretiosus