Southern hake (Merluccius australis) fish species and information / pictures of Southern hake - Merluccius australis

Southern hake (Merluccius australis) fish species information

Scientific Name
Merluccius australis

Common Name
Southern hake

Biology
Found at depths between 415 and 1000 m in New Zealand waters, and 62 to 800 m in South American waters. The Patagonian population feeds on southern blue whiting, whiptail, nototheniids and squids. The New Zealand population feeds mainly on fishes , squids, euphausiids and benthic organisms. Adults probably migrate southward during the southern summer for feeding and return to the north in winter for spawning. Spawning takes place from August to September on the western coast of South Island, from September to November in the northern part of the Campbell Plateau, and between November and January on Chatham Rise. Utilized as food fish and fishmeal.

Classification

Classified By

Hutton, 1872

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Cods (Gadiformes)

Family

Merluccid hakes (Merlucciidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumglobal in the southern hemisphere (Ref. 7300). Two distinct groups. New Zealand population

Distribution

Circumglobal in the southern hemisphere. Two distinct groups. New Zealand population: Chatham Rise, Campbell Plateau and South Island northward to the East Cape. Patagonian population: Chilo? Island in the Pacific, southward around the southern tip of South America to the continental shelf to 59?S, and the slope north to 38?S in the Atlantic.

Range

33°S - 59°S, 165°E - 66°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

28 m

Depth To - meters

1000 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Marine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 28 - 1000 m

Trophic Level

4.45 s.e. 0.79 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

155 cm

Common Length

80.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.07-0.19; tm=6-10; tmax=30)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated