Scientific Name
Thyrsites atun

Common Name
Snoek

Biology
Inhabit continental shelves or around islands. Feed on pelagic crustaceans (Euphausia, Nyctiphanes), cephalopods and fishes (Ref. 6181) like anchovy and pilchard (Ref. 36731). Form schools near the bottom or midwater; sometimes even at the surface at night (Ref. 6181). Prefers temperature between 13? and 18?C (Ref. 36731). Marketed fresh, smoked, canned and frozen; eaten fried, broiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Good for fish and chips or smoking; also made into fillet or fish cake in Japan (Ref. 6181).

Classification

Classified By

Euphrasen, 1791

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snake mackerels (Gempylidae)

Distribution

Region

Southwest Atlantic

Distribution

Southwest Atlantic: Uruguay, Argentina and Tierra del Fuego. Eastern Atlantic: Tristan da Cunha and South Africa. Western Indian Ocean: South Africa and the St. Paul and Amsterdam islands. Eastern Indian Ocean: Tasmania and southern coast of Australia. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand and southern coast of Australia. Southeast Pacific: southern Peru, Chile, and Tierra del Fuego.

Range

21°S - 56°S, 75°W - 177°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

13 °C

Water Temperature To

18 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

550 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Marine; brackish; benthopelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 550 m (Ref. 6390), usually 100 - 500 m (Ref. 6181)

Trophic Level

3.74 s.e. 0.60 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

200 cm

Common Length

75.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (63 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2-4; tmax=10)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated