Pelagic Cod, Melanonus gracilis Günther 1878
Pelagic Cod, Melanonus gracilis. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial
Summary:
A black meso- to bathypelagic cod found off eastern and southeastern Australia.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2020, Melanonus gracilis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4569
Pelagic Cod, Melanonus gracilis Günther 1878
More Info
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Distribution |
Off Newcastle, New South Wales, to southwest of Robe, South Australia, and off Tasmania; also the Lord Howe Rise in the Tasman Sea, off Macquarie Island, and in Prydz Bay, Australian Antarctic Territory. Elsewhere the species is circumglobal in southern waters. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 67-72; Anal fin 52-54; Pectoral fin 11-13; Pelvic fin 7; Vertebrae 13+44=57. |
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Similar Species |
The Arrowtail Cod, Melanonus zugmayeri, differs from the Pelagic Cod in having moderately large teeth, and the upper jaw extending to below or usually beyond the rear edge of the eye (vs. teeth uniformly small, and the upper jaw not extending to below rear edge of eye in M. gracilis). |
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Species Citation |
Melanonus gracilis Günther 1878, Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 2(2, 22, 28): 19. Type locality: Antarctic Ocean, 62°26'S, 95°44'W, Challenger station 152, depth 1975 fathoms. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2020 |
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Resources |
Pelagic Cod, Melanonus gracilis Günther 1878
References
Chiu, T.S. & Markle, D.F. 1990. Melanonidae. pp. 188-189 in Gon, O. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. Grahamstown : J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology 462 pp.
Cohen, D.M. 1990. Family Melanonidae. 138 in Cohen, D.M., Inada, T., Iwamoto, T. & Scialabba, N. FAO Species Catalogue. Gadiform fishes of the world (order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 10 442 pp.
Gomon, M.F. 1994. Families Moridae, Melanonidae, Euclichthyidae, Merlucciidae. pp. 324-340 figs 290-303 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Gomon, M.F. 2008. Family Melanonidae. pp. 349 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Günther, A. 1878. Preliminary notices of deep-sea fishes collected during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 2(2, 22, 28): 17-28, 179-187, 248-251 See ref at BHL
May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Field Guide to Trawl Fish from Temperate Waters of Australia. Hobart : CSIRO Division of Marine Research 492 pp.
Paulin, C., Stewart, A., Roberts, C. & McMillan, P. 1989. New Zealand fish: a complete guide. National Museum of New Zealand Miscellaneous Series 19: 1-279
Struthers, C.D. 2015. 108 Family Melanonidae, pp. 867-869 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152.
