French Fish Names in English

In France, daurade royale is gilthead seabream, bar commun or loup de mer is European seabass and denté commun is dentex. This list gives the French name of every species in our encyclopedia, with the English and scientific name next to it.

Along the Mediterranean coast of France, fishermen and markets still use many Provençal names, while shops elsewhere use the official French trade names. We list the official names, which are the ones you will see on labels.

Photo	French	English	Scientific name
A
	Aigle de mer commun	Eagle Ray	Myliobatis aquila
	Aiguillat commun	Spiny Dogfish	Squalus acanthias / Squalus blainvillei
	Allache	Round Sardinella	Sardinella aurita
	Anchois commun	Anchovy	Engraulis encrasicolus
	Anguille d'Europe	Eel	Anguilla anguilla
	Aphanius de Corse	Toothcarp	Aphanius fasciatus
	Argonaute papier	Greater Argonaut	Argonauta argo
	Arnoglosse lanterne	Scaldback	Arnoglossus laterna
	Auxide	Bullet Tuna	Auxis rochei
B
	Badèche rouge	Mottled Grouper	Mycteroperca rubra
	Baliste cabri also Baliste gris	Grey Triggerfish	Balistes capriscus
	Ballon à bande argentée	Silver cheeked Toadfish	Lagocephalus sceleratus
	Barbier	Swallowtail Seaperch	Anthias anthias
	Barbue	Brill	Scophthalmus rhombus
	Bar commun also Loup de mer	Seabass	Dicentrarchus labrax
	Baudroie also Lotte	Anglerfish	Lophius piscatorius / Lophius budegassa
	Bécasse de mer	Longspine Snipefish	Macroramphosus scolopax
	Bogue	Bogue	Boops boops
	Bonite à dos rayé	Atlantic Bonito	Sarda sarda
	Brochet de mer also Bécune	Barracuda	Sphyraena sphyraena / Sphyraena viridensis
C
	Carangue coubali	Blue Runner	Caranx crysos
	Castagnole	Mediterranean Damselfish	Chromis chromis
	Centrine commune	Angular Roughshark	Oxynotus centrina
	Cépole commune	Red Bandfish	Cepola macrophthalma
	Cernier commun	Wreckfish	Polyprion americanus
	Chinchard	Horse Mackerel	Trachurus trachurus / Trachurus mediterraneus
	Colin also Merlu commun	Hake	Merluccius merluccius
	Congre commun	Conger	Conger conger
	Coq also Roi des rougets	Cardinalfish	Apogon imberbis
	Corb	Brown Meagre	Sciaena umbra
	Coryphène also Mahi-mahi	Coryphaene	Coryphaena hippurus
	Croupia roche	Atlantic Tripletail	Lobotes surinamensis
D
	Daurade royale	Gilthead Seabream	Sparus aurata
	Denté bossu	Pink Dentex	Dentex gibbosus
	Denté commun	Dentex	Dentex dentex
	Diable de mer méditerranéen	Giant Devil Ray	Mobula mobular
	Dorade grise	Black Seabream	Spondyliosoma cantharus
	Dorade rose	Blackspot Seabream	Pagellus bogaraveo
	Dragonet lyre	Dragonet	Callionymus lyra / Callionymus maculatus
E
	Émissole lisse	Smooth hound	Mustelus mustelus
	Encornet also Calmar	Squid	Loligo vulgaris
	Encornet rouge	Broadtail Shortfin Squid	Illex coindetii / Todarodes sagittatus
	Eperlan du large	Shortnose Greeneye	Chlorophthalmus agassizi
	Espadon	Swordfish	Xiphias gladius
G
	Germon also Thon blanc	Albacore	Thunnus alalunga
	Girelle	Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse	Coris julis
	Grande castagnole	Atlantic Pomfret	Brama brama
	Grande roussette	Nursehound	Scyliorhinus stellaris
	Grande vive	Greater Weever	Trachinus draco
	Grondin perlon	Gurnard	Chelidonichthys lucerna / Trigloporus lastoviza
	Grondin volant	Flying Gurnard	Dactylopterus volitans
H
	Hippocampe	Seahorse	Hippocampus guttulatus / Hippocampus hippocampus
L
	Labre vert	Wrasse	Symphodus tinca / Labrus viridis / Labrus merula
	Lançon équille	Mediterranean Sand Eel	Gymnammodytes cicerelus / Ammodytes tobianus
	Lézard	Atlantic Lizardfish	Synodus saurus
	Liche amie	Leerfish	Lichia amia
	Listao also Bonite à ventre rayé	Skipjack Tuna	Katsuwonus pelamis
M
	Makaire de la Méditerranée	Mediterranean Spearfish	Tetrapturus belone
	Maquereau	Atlantic Mackerel	Scomber scombrus
	Maquereau espagnol	Chub Mackerel	Scomber japonicus
	Marbré	Sand Steenbras	Lithognathus mormyrus
	Mendole	Blotched Picarel	Spicara maena
	Mérou badèche	Goldblotch Grouper	Epinephelus costae
	Mérou blanc	White Grouper	Epinephelus aeneus
	Mérou brun	Dusky Grouper	Epinephelus marginatus
	Mérou gris also Mérou noir	Dogtooth Grouper	Epinephelus caninus
	Mulet also Muge	Flathead Grey Mullet	Mugil cephalus / Chelon labrosus / Chelon ramada
	Murène	Mediterranean Moray	Muraena helena
O
	Oblade	Saddled Seabream	Oblada melanura
	Ombrine côtière	Shi Drum	Umbrina cirrosa
	Orphie	Garfish	Belone belone
P
	Pageot acarné	Axillary Seabream	Pagellus acarne
	Pageot commun	Pandora	Pagellus erythrinus
	Pagre commun	Red Seabream	Pagrus pagrus
	Palomète	Plain Bonito	Orcynopsis unicolor
	Pastenague commune	Stingray	Dasyatis pastinaca / Bathytoshia centroura
	Perroquet	Mediterranean Parrotfish	Sparisoma cretense
	Petite roussette	Small spotted Catshark	Scyliorhinus canicula
	Phycis de roche also Mostelle	Forkbeard	Phycis phycis
	Picarel	Picarel	Spicara smaris
	Picarel guetteur	Curled Picarel	Centracanthus cirrus
	Poisson-écureuil de Mer Rouge	Redcoat Squirrelfish	Sargocentron rubrum
	Poisson-flûte lisse	Bluespotted Cornetfish	Fistularia commersonii
	Poisson-hachette	Vanikoro Sweeper	Pempheris vanicolensis
	Poisson-lapin à ventre strié	Rabbitfish	Siganus rivulatus and Siganus luridus
	Poisson guitare	Guitarfish	Rhinobatos rhinobatos / Glaucostegus cemiculus
	Poisson pilote	Pilot Fish	Naucrates ductor
	Poisson volant	Flying Fish	Cheilopogon heterurus / Parexocoetus mento
	Poulpe commun	Octopus	Octopus vulgaris
	Poutassou	Blue Whiting	Micromesistius poutassou
	Prêtre also Athérine	Sand Smelt	Atherina hepsetus, Atherina boyeri, and Atherinomorus lacunosus
R
	Raie bouclée	Thornback Ray	Raja clavata
	Rascasse rouge	Scorpionfish	Scorpaena scrofa / Scorpaena porcus
	Rason	Pearly Razorfish	Xyrichtys novacula
	Requin-hâ also Cagnot	Tope Shark	Galeorhinus galeus
	Requin-marteau commun	Smooth Hammerhead	Sphyrna zygaena
	Requin griset	Bluntnose Sixgill Shark	Hexanchus griseus
	Requin renard commun	Thresher Shark	Alopias vulpinus / Alopias superciliosus / Alopias pelagicus
	Rouget-souris bande	Goldband Goatfish	Upeneus moluccensis
	Rouget de roche	Striped Red Mullet	Mullus surmuletus
	Rouget de vase	Red Mullet	Mullus barbatus
	Rouvet	Oilfish	Ruvettus pretiosus
S
	Saint-pierre	John Dory	Zeus faber
	Sar à grosses lèvres	Zebra Seabream	Diplodus cervinus
	Sar à museau pointu	Sharpsnout Seabream	Diplodus puntazzo
	Sar à tête noire	Two banded Seabream	Diplodus vulgaris
	Sar commun	White Seabream	Diplodus sargus
	Sardine	Pilchard	Sardina pilchardus
	Saupe	Salema Porgy	Sarpa salpa
	Sébaste chèvre	Blackbelly Rosefish	Helicolenus dactylopterus
	Seiche commune	Cuttlefish	Sepia officinalis
	Sériole couronnée	Greater Amberjack	Seriola dumerili
	Serran chevrette	Comber	Serranus cabrilla
	Serran écriture	Painted Comber	Serranus scriba
	Serran hépate	Brown Comber	Serranus hepatus
	Sole commune	Sole	Solea solea
	Sparaillon	Annular Seabream	Diplodus annularis
T
	Tassergal	Bluefish	Pomatomus saltatrix
	Thazard rayé	Narrow Barred Spanish Mackerel	Scomberomorus commerson
	Thonine commune	Little Tunny	Euthynnus alletteratus
	Thon rouge	Atlantic Bluefin Tuna	Thunnus thynnus
	Torpille	Electric Ray	Torpedo marmorata / Torpedo torpedo
	Turbot	Turbot	Scophthalmus maximus
U
	Uranoscope	Atlantic Stargazer	Uranoscopus scaber

No fish found with that name.

Fish names in other Mediterranean countries