Animal Species:Blue Grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae (Hector, 1871)
The Blue Grenadier is a benthic species in temperate marine waters of Australia and New Zealand. Juveniles are found inshore, while adults are found in continental slope waters.
Blue Grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae
Robin McPhee, NORFANZ
© Robin McPhee, NORFANZ
Alternative Name/s
The Blue Grenadier has also been called the Blue Hake, Hoki and New Zealand Whip-tail.
Identification
The Blue Grenadier is an elongate, compressed fish that tapers to a point. The second dorsal, anal and caudal fins are all joined. It has a large mouth and tiny deciduous scales.
The species is silvery with a purplish or bluish-green tinge above. The fins of live fish are dark blue.
Size range
It grows to about 1.1 m in length and a weight of about 6 kg.
Distribution
The species occurs in temperate marine waters of Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it is known from off central New South Wales to south-eastern Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Ozcam map of Blue Grenadier specimens in the Australian Museums.
Habitat
The Blue Grenadier is a benthic species that is found inshore as juveniles and in continental slope waters at depths from 450 m to 800 m as adults.
Economic/social impacts
The Blue Grenadier is a commercially important species.
Classification
- Species:
- novaezelandiae
- Genus:
- Macruronus
- Family:
- Merlucciidae
- Order:
- Gadiformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.
Mark McGrouther
, Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags fishes, ichthyology, Blue Grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae, Merlucciidae, benthic, temperate water, marine, continental slope, Blue Hake, Hoki, New Zealand Whip-tail, elongate, tapers, large mouth, > 1m,
2 comments
Question Dr Mark, any help with an ID of these fish?? The original blog post said Grenadier Fish.... Would like an expert opinion though.
http://austmusdeepoceans.tumblr.com/post/8626529911/mekelhorn-grenadier-fish-3-mr-blobbys
Hi Jen. You were right to question the identification. The fish on the Austmus Deep Oceans Discoveries site are not Blue Grenadiers, but rather a species of Blobfish (family Psychrolutidae). The most famous of which is the much-loved Mr Blobby.