Glossary: fish

All fish are broken down into two very broad categories'"fish and shellfish. In the most basic terms, fish are equipped with fins, backbones and gills, while shellfish have shells of one form or another. (For details on shellfish, see that listing.) Fish without shells are separated into two groups'"freshwater fish and saltwater fish. Because salt water provides more buoyancy than fresh water, salt-water fish'"such as cod, flounder and tuna'"can afford to have thicker bones. Freshwater fish'"like catfish, perch and trout'"can't be weighted with a heavy skeletal framework. Instead, their structure is based on hundreds of minuscule bones, a source of frustration to many diners. Additionally, fish are separated into two more categories: flatfish and roundfish. Flatfish, which swim horizontally along the bottom of the sea, are shaped like an oval platter, the top side being dark and the bottom white. Both eyes are on the side of the body facing upward. Roundfish have a rounder body, with eyes on both sides of the head. Further, fish are divided into three categories based on their fat content'"lean, moderate-fat and high-fat. The oil in lean fish is concentrated in the liver, rather than being distributed through the flesh. Their fat content is less than 21a

From THE NEW FOOD LOVERS COMPANION, Fourth edition by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst. Copyright © 2007, 2001, 1995, 1990 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc.