Chile country information

Common names: Maltona, Merluza, Merluza común
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: highly commercial | Ref: FAO, 1994
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Found between Cnañaral and the Chonos Archipelago (Ref. 58452). Moves to southern coastal areas in summer and migrates to northern deeper waters (200-500 m) in winter and spring (Ref. 27363). Also Ref. 8984, 56050.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ci.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Cohen, D.M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto and N. Scialabba, 1990
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Merlu du Pacifique sud, Merluza del Pacífico sur, Мерлуза чилийско-перуанская, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Gadiformes (Cods) > Merlucciidae (Merluccid hakes)
Etymology: Merluccius: Latin, mar, maris = the sea + Latin, lucius = pike (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Guichenot.

Issue
A different species/subspecies is recognized on the Peruvian coasts Merluccius peruanus Ginsburg, 1954, that is recognized in FishBase as a provisionally valid species. More studies are needed to clearly differentiate it (March 2021).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; bathydemersal; oceanodromous; depth range 50 - 500 m (Ref. 1371). Deep-water; 5°S - 46°S, 81°W - 69°E (Ref. 54583)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southeast Pacific: off the coast of Chile from Arica to Chiloé Island.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 32 - ? cm
Max length : 87.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1371); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1371)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45 - 54; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 36 - 42; Vertebrae: 49 - 53. 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). Migrates vertically to midwater at night to feed on fishes, squids and euphausiids (Ref. 27363). Moves to southern coastal areas in summer and migrates to northern deeper waters (200-500 m depth) in winter and spring (Ref. 27363). Spawning occurs at the end of the winter and during the southern spring (Ref. 58452). Marketed fresh and frozen (Ref. 1371) and eaten steamed, fried, boiled and microwaved (Ref. 9988). Also utilized as fishmeal (Ref. 1371).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

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)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 01 May 2008

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

FAO(Fisheries: production, species profile; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
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Predators

Ecology
Ecology
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Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Life cycle
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Egg(s)
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Distribution
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BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths

Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
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Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

Outreach
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Taxonomy
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References
References

Tools

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Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 9.3 - 14, mean 10.9 (based on 38 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01413 (0.00630 - 0.03168), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.3 ±0.6 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.1-0.2; tm=2).

Prior r = 0.28, 95% CL = 0.18 - 0.42, Based on 3 full stock assessments.

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (61 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): High vulnerability (62 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Low.

Merluccius gayi (Guichenot, 1848)