''Cilus gilberti'', the corvina or corvina drum, is a saltwater

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

of the family Sciaenidae (commonly called croakers or drums). It is the only species in the genus ''Cilus''. It inhabits mostly

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

coastal waters of the southeastern Pacific along Central and South America. The corvina is highly prized in South America as a food fish. The fish was given the species name ''gilberti'' by

Charles Conrad Abbott Charles Conrad Abbott (June 4, 1843 – July 27, 1919) was an American archaeologist and naturalist. Biography Abbott was born at Trenton, New Jersey, son of Timothy and Susan (Conrad) Abbott; grandson of Joseph and Anne (Rickey) Abbott, and a ...

, in honour of “friend and instructor”

Charles Henry Gilbert Charles Henry Gilbert (December 5, 1859 in Rockford, Illinois – April 20, 1928 in Palo Alto, California) was a pioneer ichthyologist and Fisheries science, fishery biologist of particular significance to natural history of the western Unit ...

(1859-1928).

Description

The corvina is similar in appearance to its relatives the weakfish and spotted seatrout. Its body is blue-grey on top, silvery overall with small scales, and is elongated and somewhat compressed in shape. It has a large mouth and a dorsal fin that is deeply notched between spiny and soft parts. It reaches or more.

Range and habitat

The corvina is found along the South American Pacific coastline from

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

, and also in the Galapagos. It inhabits soft bottoms at a depth of .

Culinary uses

The corvina has a white and flaky texture and a mild, sweet taste. Cooking methods include grilled, baked, fried, and

sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. "刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stuck) ...

. It is a popular choice in ceviche.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2017562, from2=Q1833756 Sciaenidae Western South American coastal fauna Galápagos Islands coastal fauna Fish described in 1899 Taxa named by Charles Conrad Abbott Monotypic ray-finned fish genera