The Karut:

Johnius carutta (Karut croaker)

Class:
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Order:
Perciformes (perch-like fish)

Family:
Sciaenidae

Scientific Name:
Johnius carutta

Other Scientific Name(s):
Sciaena carutta, Johnius carulta

Common Name:
Karut

Other Common Names:
Karut croaker

Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific: From Pakistan eastward to the west coast of Malay Peninsula, extending eastward to Thailand.


Why do I care?

J an I just bought a page from 'Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische' by Marcus Elieser Bloch. A natural history fish study from a first edition of the finest ichthyology color plate set ever produced, published in 1782-95. Vol 1 to 3 of a 12 volume set pertained to German fishes "Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlands", and the work we found was originaly in the illustrated book that came with volumes 4 to 12 describing foreign fishes, 'Ausländische Fische'. The hand-colored copperplate engravings reproduce the bright natural coloring of the fish.

Plate #356 "Karut" by J.F Hennig

The Antiques Roadshow punchline?

A 220 year old rare print for $5 at the crap store.

Don't hate us, we studied hard for this kind of luck.

Heh. :)