Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gadiformes (Cods) >
Merlucciidae (Merluccid hakes)
Etymology: Merluccius: Latin, mar, maris = the sea + Latin, lucius = pike (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Ginsburg.
Issue
Provisionally valid species. When recognized, mainly considered as a subspecies of Merluccius gayi (Guichenot, 1848). Still more studies are needed to characterize it (March 2021).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 50 - 500 m (Ref. 1371). Deep-water; 4°S - 14°S
Southeast Pacific: off the coast of Peru, from Paita southward to Huarmey.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 35.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 68.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1371); 115.0 cm TL (female); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1371); max. reported age: 13 years (Ref. 9722)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45 - 54; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 36 - 42. 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 (Ref. 1371).
Occurs from the shallow continental shelf to the upper continental slope (Ref. 1371). Sometimes found off the bottom or in midwater (Ref. 1371). Marketed fresh and frozen and also used for fishmeal (Ref. 1371).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Espino, M., R. Castillo and F. Fernandez, 1995. Biology and fisheries of Peruvian hake (M. gayi peruanus). p. 339-363. In J. Alheit and T. J. Pitcher (eds.) Hake:biology, fisheries and markets. Chapmanand Hall, London, 478 p. (Ref. 9718)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: highly commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00525 (0.00322 - 0.00854), b=3.11 (2.96 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.4 ±0.6 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.19-0.21; tmax=13).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 10.9 [5.5, 38.6] mg/100g; Iron = 0.326 [0.063, 0.892] mg/100g; Protein = 17 [16, 18] %; Omega3 = 0.141 [0.074, 0.262] g/100g; Selenium = 22.4 [10.1, 50.5] μg/100g; VitaminA = 14 [3, 62] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.245 [0.168, 0.379] mg/100g (wet weight);