Urophycis cirrata
Gulf Hake
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Gadiformes (Cod, Hakes and others)
Phycidae (Phycid Hakes)
Urophycis
Urophycis cirrata (Gulf Hake)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Moderately slender and fusiform, with a short, triangular first dorsal fin, a long second dorsal fin, and long pelvic rays. Snout is slightly blunt and projects slightly beyond jaws. Jaws are subterminal, slightly oblique, and extend beyond posterior margin of orbit. Head is 21% to 23%, predorsal length is 23% to 25%, and pelvic fin is 36% to 46% of TL. Snout length is 24% to 25%, upper jaw is 51% to 52%, lower jaw is 45% to 46%, eye length is 19%, and caudal peduncle depth is 14.7% to 16% of head length. Gill rakers number three (rarely two) on upper limb of first arch. Pectoral fin is bluntly pointed and fails to reach anus. First dorsal fin originates over pectoral fin base and has 10 rays. Second dorsal fin originates immediately behind first dorsal fin and has 66 rays. Anal fin has 57 rays. Second dorsal fin and anal fin are narrowly separated from caudal fin. Caudal fin has convex posterior margin. Lateral line is continuous. Scales number 93 from opercular flap to caudal fin base and 6 to 9 from dorsal fin base to lateral line.
Color is pale brown, with diffuse dusky blotch on operculum, dark-edged dorsal and anal fins, and without dark spots on head.
Distribution
Western North Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Between 27 and 684 m (most common between 360 and 470 m), generally associated with mud bottoms
Mud bottoms
Biology
Maximum known size is 570 mm TL
Found on mud bottoms.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-10-11. Resilience: Low (tmax=14; k=0.15-0.19).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of potential interest; gamefish.
References
Svetovidov 1962
Hoese and Moore 1977
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Cohen et al. 1990
Boschung 1992
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.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Comments On Urophycis cirrata