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🌊 Marine Data Deficient 🌡️ Deep-water

South Pacific hake

Merluccius gayi Guichenot, 1848
Max Length
87 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4.3
Depth
50–500 m
Climate
Deep-water
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
61.00/100
Typical Length
50 cm
Depth Zone
deep-water

📖 Overview

Occurs from the shallow continental shelf to the upper continental slope . Sometimes found off the bottom or in midwater . Migrates vertically to midwater at night to feed on fishes, squids and euphausiids . Moves to southern coastal areas in summer and migrates to northern deeper waters (200-500 m depth) in winter and spring . Spawning occurs at the end of the winter and during the southern spring . Marketed fresh and frozen and eaten steamed, fried, boiled and microwaved . Also utilized as fishmeal .

Scientific Name
Merluccius gayi
Authority
Guichenot, 1848
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Deep-water
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
DD
Max Length
87 cm
Depth Range
50–500 m
Trophic Level
4.3
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
61.00/100
Migration
Oceanodromous
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45 - 54; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 36 - 42; Vertebrae: 49 - 53. Caudal fin margin usually concave. Color is silvery on back, silvery whitish on belly. M. gayi gayi and M. gayi peruanus differ by the total number of vertebrae, total number of gill rakers and relative length of head .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for South Pacific hake is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; bathydemersal; oceanodromous; depth range 50 - 500 m . Deep-water; 5°S - 46°S, 81°W - 69°E Southeast Pacific: off the coast of Chile from Arica to Chiloé Island.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌑 Deep Water
Migration
Oceanodromous
Trophic Level
4.3±0.6
Food Items

fishes, squids and euphausiids (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.0138 × L3.05 (TL)
Max TL
87cm
Dorsal Spines
1
Dorsal Rays
50
Anal Rays
39
Vertebrae
51

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Data Deficient
Assessment Date
2008

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
61.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.3
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Deep-water
Described By
Guichenot, 1848

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 5 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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