Ecology Summary - Macrourus berglax

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Main Ref.	Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990
Remarks	Epibenthic, in deep waters down to 2740 m (Ref. 58426). Commonly found in about 300-500 m depth. Temperature preferences appear to range from about 1-4°C, although bottom temperatures below 0°C have been recorded at capture depths. Amphipods predominate in the diet, although polychaetes and various natant crustaceans are also important. Also feeds on bivalves, isopods, echinoderms (notably ophiuroids), and ctenophores (Ref. 1371). Consumed primarily benthic organisms (Ref. 51343). Parasites of the species include 3 myxosporidians, 1 monogenean (Macruricotyle newfoundlandiae), 3 cestodes, 6 trematodes, 4 nematodes, 1 acanthocephalan, 2 protozoans (Glugea berglax and Eimeria sp.), copepod (Sphyrion lumpi) and 3 crustaceans; Davisia newfoundlandia, Zschokkella kudoi, Cyclocotyloides pinguis and Clavellomimus macruri being specific to roughhead grenadier (Ref. 5951).

Main Ref.

Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990

Remarks

Epibenthic, in deep waters down to 2740 m (Ref. 58426). Commonly found in about 300-500 m depth. Temperature preferences appear to range from about 1-4°C, although bottom temperatures below 0°C have been recorded at capture depths. Amphipods predominate in the diet, although polychaetes and various natant crustaceans are also important. Also feeds on bivalves, isopods, echinoderms (notably ophiuroids), and ctenophores (Ref. 1371). Consumed primarily benthic organisms (Ref. 51343). Parasites of the species include 3 myxosporidians, 1 monogenean (Macruricotyle newfoundlandiae), 3 cestodes, 6 trematodes, 4 nematodes, 1 acanthocephalan, 2 protozoans (Glugea berglax and Eimeria sp.), copepod (Sphyrion lumpi) and 3 crustaceans; Davisia newfoundlandia, Zschokkella kudoi, Cyclocotyloides pinguis and Clavellomimus macruri being specific to roughhead grenadier (Ref. 5951).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Macrourus berglax may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic;
Substrate Ref.	Coad, B.W. and J.D. Reist, 2004
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Wayland, M.T., C. Sommerville and D.I. Gibson, 1999
Associations	parasitism; shoaling;
Associated with	Echinorhynchus gadi; Echinorhynchus sp. (Ref. 65465);
Association remarks	Study concluding this species form spawning populations with a predominance of males at 700-800 m depth on the Atlantic Tren and Rest Banks during winter-spring. Also reported large catches by bottom trawl and long-line near Iceland and in the NW Atlantic (Ref. 33722).
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	Original sample		Unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition			4.48	0.77
From individual food items	3.77	0.49			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Bjelland, O., O.A. Bergstad, J.E. Skjæraasen and K. Meland, 2000

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