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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Gadiformes (Cods) > Merlucciidae (Merluccid hakes) > Merlucciinae
Etymology: Merluccius: Latin, mar, maris = the sea + Latin, lucius = pike (Ref. 45335). More on author: Castelnau.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; bathydemersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 50 - 1000 m (Ref. 27121), usually 150 - 450 m (Ref. 27121). Deep-water, preferred 17°C (Ref. 107945); 11°S - 37°S, 5°E - 33°E (Ref. 58452)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southeast Atlantic: Baie Farte, Angola around Cape to Natal, South Africa. Also found on Valdivia Bank (26°18'S, 6°20'E).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 47.4 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 140 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6605); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1371)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 47-54; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 37 - 41. Light brown above, silvery to white below (Ref. 6605).

Found on the continental shelf and slope to depths over 1,000 m (Ref. 27121). Juveniles (to about 64 cm) feed on small crustaceans and small deep-sea fishes such as lanternfishes, whereas larger individuals feed chiefly on small hakes and jack mackerel (Ref. 1371); cannibalism is common (Ref. 27121). Migrates southward in the spring and northward in autumn (Ref. 1371). Breeds throughout the year, peaks of reproductive activity in August and September (Ref. 36731). Marketed smoked, frozen, and fresh on ice; eaten steamed, fried and baked (Ref. 9988).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 10. Gadiform fishes of the world (Order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(10). Rome: FAO. 442 p. (Ref. 1371)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO(fisheries: production, species profile; publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

More information

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00537 (0.00339 - 0.00851), b=3.09 (2.96 - 3.22), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.9 ±0.65 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.07-0.13).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (76 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): High.

Merluccius capensis Castelnau, 1861