| Family: |
Phycidae (Phycid hakes) |
| Max. size: |
133 cm TL (male/unsexed); 135 cm TL (female); max.weight: 21 kg; max. reported age: 23 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 100 - 1000 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: Labrador and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to the coast of North Carolina. Straying to Iceland in the east and Florida in the south. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Upper limb or first gill arch with 2 (rarely 3) rakers. First dorsal in with an elongated ray. Body color variable, dorsally various dark shades, paler laterally, sometimes bronze, belly pale dirty to yellow white; pelvic fin pale. A dusky blotch present on the opercle. |
| Biology: |
Found on soft, muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and upper slope. It is mostly found at 180 m. Mature fish migrate inshore in the northern Gulf of Maine in summer, disperse in autumn, and move into deepest areas in winter. Feed on small crustaceans, squids and small fish. Utilized fresh, smoked or frozen; eaten steamed, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Exported to Europe (Ref. 9988). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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