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Auchenoceros punctatus (Hutton, 1873) Ahuru |
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photo by
Welter-Schultes, F. |
| Family: | Moridae (Morid cods) | |||
| Max. size: | 13 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 5 - 420 m | |||
| Distribution: | Southwest Pacific: east coast of New Zealand southward; also in the Cook Strait. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Snout blunt; dorsal head profile smoothly rounded. Chin barbel absent. First dorsal fin appearing as a single, elongate ray, widely separated from the second dorsal fin. Ventral light organ absent. Color generally pale, variously reported as pink-tan with spots, silvery with a spot on side of the head and a yellow lateral stripe. | |||
| Biology: | Over sandy and muddy bottoms in inshore waters to depths of 420 m. Possibly an important forage fish for commercial species. Minimum depth reported from Ref. 57178. | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||