Macruronus magellanicus Lönnberg, 1907
Patagonian grenadier
Macruronus magellanicus
photo by INIDEP

Family:  Macruronidae (Blue grenadiers)
Max. size:  115 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 5,000.0 g; max. reported age: 19 years
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 30 - 500 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Southeast Pacific and Southwest Atlantic: off southern Chile and Argentina.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 100-113; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 83-90. Dorsal part of body purplish blue, belly silvery with a slight bluish tinge; small melanophores scattered on fin membrane of dorsal and anal fins; inside of mouth blackish (Ref. 1371).
Biology:  Schooling species which are concentrated on the outer part of the continental shelf (Ref. 1371). Feeds mainly on fish (herring, anchovies, lantern fishes), also on mysids, cephalopods, euphausiids and amphipods (Ref. 1371). Migrates southward in spring and summer and northward in winter (Ref. 1371). Utilized fresh, frozen and for fishmeal (Ref. 1371).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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