I sympathise with Peter Murray’s comment that fish common names can confuse (October 11).

For the record, lampuki (Coryphaena hippurus) is a migratory species circumglobal in subtropical seas. Lampuki, I believe, is derived either from the Arabic (lambouqa) or Italian (lampuga) name.

However, the species is more commonly known as dolphinfish, dorado or mahi mahi outside the Mediterranean.

Sometimes a fish is named after the location where the first specimen examined (holotype) came from.

The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) was originally found only in the African river systems, but it has been introduced in some tropical countries.

I suggest that the Nile perch from Thailand as mentioned, is in fact the ubiquitous Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) which is widely used in aquaculture, including in Thailand.

I personally have found this species in rock pools high in the mountains of Oman.

In summary, common names can confuse and mislead.

Before I came to Malta I had not heard the name lampuki and had no idea what kind of fish it was.

Now that I know, I enjoy it! If you really want to define a particular fish, using the Greek/Latin binomial name is the only way!