Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) fish species and information / pictures of Antarctic silverfish - Pleuragramma antarctica

Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) fish species information

Scientific Name
Pleuragramma antarctica

Common Name
Antarctic silverfish

Biology
Regarded as the only truly pelagic fish in Antarctic waters (Ref. 6390). Larvae and postlarvae occur between 0 to 135 m; juveniles 50 to 400 and adults below 400 m (Ref. 5179). Postlarvae feed mainly on eggs and larvae of copepods; juveniles mainly on copepods, but take also eggs and larvae of euphausiids, polychaetes and chaetognaths (Ref. 5179). Larger items are ingested with increase in size (Ref. 5179).

Classification

Classified By
Boulenger, 1902
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Perch-like fish (Perciformes)
Family
Cod icefishes (Nototheniidae)

Distribution

Region
Southern Ocean
Distribution
Southern Ocean: Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland, Elephant, South Orkney islands, Weddell, Bellingshausen, Ross and Davis seas, Oates, Ad?lie, Wilhelm and other coasts of East Antarctica to Prydz Bay.
Range
60°S - 78°S

Environment

Climate
Polar
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
2 °C
Depth From - meters
0 m
Depth To - meters
728 m
Zone
pelagic-oceanic
Environment
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 0 - 728 m (Ref. 11892)
Trophic Level
3 s.e. 0.00 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
False
Occurs in Fresh Water
False
Occurs on Reefs
False
Is kept in Aquariums
False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
25.0 cm
Common Length
15.0 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Vulnerability
Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100)
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14; tm=3-4; tmax=20; Fec=4,000)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Least Concern (LC)