Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Polyprionidae (Wreckfishes)
Etymology: Polyprion: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, prion = saw (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 40 - 600 m (Ref. 7251), usually 100 - 200 m (Ref. 36731). Deep-water, preferred 17°C (Ref. 107945); 70°N - 55°S, 82°W - 179°E

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

Eastern Atlantic: Norway to South Africa (Ref. 6633), including the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde, and Tristan da Cunha. Western Atlantic: Newfoundland, Canada and Gulf of Maine to North Carolina, USA (Ref. 7251). Recorded from Uruguay to Argentina (Ref. 9050). Western Indian Ocean: St. Paul and Amsterdam islands (Ref. 6633). Southwest Pacific: New Zealand (Ref. 5755, 9072).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 77.9 range ? - 90 cm
Max length : 210 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3397); max. published weight: 100.0 kg (Ref. 35388)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Bluish grey above, paler below with a silvery sheen; fins blackish brown (Ref. 6633). Juveniles have black blotches on head and body (Ref. 6633). Body tall, compressed. Big mouth with big head and a rough bony ridge across upper part of the gill cover (Ref. 35388).

Adults prefer to inhabit caves and shipwrecks (Ref. 27121). Juveniles congregate below floating objects (Ref. 27121). Usually solitary. Feed on large crustaceans, cephalopods and benthic fishes (Ref. 27121). Spawn in the summer (Ref. 35388). Are primary gonochorists (Ref. 58421). Marketed fresh or frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Minimum depth reported from Ref. 6633.

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

Primary gonochorists (Ref. 58421).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Sedberry, George | Collaborators

Wheeler, A., 1992. A list of the common and scientific names of fishes of the British Isles. J. Fish Biol. 41(suppl.A):1-37. (Ref. 5204)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Data deficient (DD) , IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.8125 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01318 (0.00964 - 0.01802), b=3.00 (2.91 - 3.09), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 4.1 ±0.64 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.05-0.08; tmax=76; tm=9-10 yrs estimated from VBGF; Fec=3 million).

Prior r = 0.26, 2 SD range = 0.14 - 0.48, log(r) = -1.35, SD log(r) = 0.31, Based on: 4 K, 1 tmax, 2 Fec records

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High to very high vulnerability (72 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Low.

Polyprion americanus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)