Average length 25-40cmAverage weight 800-900gms
Occurs around New Zealand and southern coasts of Australia and South Africa. Pale brownish above, silvery grey on sides, fins grey; scales small but clearly present. Distinguished from the silver dory by the grey fins and higher eye position-well above the upper jaw, hence, “lookdown”. The silver dory is silvery with a golden or slightly pink sheen, pink fins, scales, and eye behind upper jaw.
The related mirror dory has a smooth skin and sharp scutes along the bases of the median fins. Lookdown, silver, and mirror dories are offshore species while the related John dory is an inshore species. Lookdown dory occurs around New Zealand in depths of200-800m and is the most common of the three offshore dory species. All three caught by trawling. Lookdown dory is a moderate by-catch species. Resource size of these dories unknown but probably small.