Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gadiformes (Cods) >
Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Etymology: Macrourus: Greek, makroura = great tail (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Sir Thomas Barnby Whitson (1869–1948) was a Scottish accountant who was Treasurer and Accountant of the Scotia Committee; ‘Scotia’ was the ship from which the type was collected during the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–1904). [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Regan.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 400 - 3185 m (Ref. 1371), usually 600 - 1500 m (Ref. 1371). Deep-water; 47°S - 79°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 1371)
Southern Ocean: Circumpolar (generally confined inside the Convergence except in the Falkland Islands area).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 84.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 124151); max. published weight: 5.1 kg (Ref. 124151)
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 124 - 125; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 110. Eyes relatively large. Snout short, moderately pointed, usually somewhat rounded with a high dorsal profile in adults, but often with prominent tubercles at its tip and lateral angles. Mouth large, lips thin. Underside of the head generally covered with small scales. Pyloric caeca 18 to 28. Overall color dark brown to swarthy in most individuals, but some are much paler; fins and lips blackish (Ref. 1371).
Remains of natant crustaceans (especially euphausiids), polychaetes, and fish (gonostomatids) have been found in the stomachs of three specimens examined.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 10. Gadiform fishes of the world (Order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(10). Rome: FAO. 442 p. (Ref. 1371)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): -0.1 - 1.4, mean 0.6 °C (based on 598 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00200 (0.00120 - 0.00331), b=3.21 (3.06 - 3.36), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.49 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 20.0 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 2
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (68 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): High vulnerability (65 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 21.3 [6.7, 49.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.311 [0.139, 0.894] mg/100g; Protein = 17.2 [14.9, 19.6] %; Omega3 = 0.113 [0.044, 0.283] g/100g; Selenium = 25.4 [8.2, 68.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 27.1 [3.5, 217.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.472 [0.256, 0.945] mg/100g (wet weight);