| Family: |
Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails) |
| Max. size: |
110 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 25 years |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; marine; depth range 100 - 1000 m, non-migratory |
| Distribution: |
North Atlantic: Norfolk Canyon and George Bank north to Labrador, Davis Strait, eastern and western Greenland, Iceland, and from the Irish Atlantic slope north to Faeroe Islands, Norwegian coast, to Spitzbergen, and to the Barents Sea. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Snout short, rather strongly pointed; mouth small, inferior. Underside of head almost entirely naked. Pyloric caeca about 19 or 20. Overall color is gray, darker ventrally on trunk; anal fin dark-edged, first dorsal and pectoral fins dusky (Ref. 1371). Front end of dorsal fin spine is serrated (Ref. 35388). |
| Biology: |
Epibenthic, in deep waters down to 2740 (Ref. 58426). Adults are 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 feed on bivalves, isopods, echinoderms (notably ophiuroids), and ctenophores (Ref. 1371). Batch spawner (Ref. 51846). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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