- Merluccius paradoxus
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Deep-water Cape hake Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Gadiformes Family: Merlucciidae Subfamily: Merlucciinae Genus: Merluccius Species: M. paradoxus Binomial name Merluccius paradoxus
(Franca, 1960)The Deep-water Cape hake (Merluccius paradoxus) is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of Southern Africa, south of Angola. Its range extends in decreasing abundance around the southern coast of Africa and into the Indian Ocean, but it is at its most plentiful in the cold, nutrient-rich fishing grounds of the Benguela Current.
In South Africa, in combination with Merluccius capensis, the so-called Shallow-water Cape hake, it is one of the most important commercial food fishes and locally is generally known as Stockfish (this English name being derived from the Afrikaans stokvis).[1]
Very similar to Merluccius merluccius (European hake), it has an average length of 40–60 cm, up to a maximum of about 80 cm. It lives close to the bottom in muddy areas on the continental shelf and slope. It usually is to be found at depths of 200 to 850m, although most commonly below 400 m. Immature specimens feed on small deep-sea fishes and crustaceans, especially Euphausiacea. Mature hake feed mainly on fish, squid, and crustaceans, especially Mysidacea and Euphausiacea.[1]
There still is little information on its migratory habits as compared to those of Merluccius capensis, which have been fairly well studied.
The Deep-water Cape Hake is often fished together with the species Merluccius capensis, which usually occurs at shallower depths. Most reported commercial catches combine both species, but towards the north west coast of Southern Africa, in the region of Angola, Merluccius paradoxus does not occur.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Lloris, Domingo (2005). Hakes of the world (family Merlucciidae) : an annotated and illustrated catalogue of hake species known to date. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 925104984X. available for download at http://www.fao.org
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Merluccius paradoxus" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
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