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The '''Tarakihi''' or '''Jackass morwong''' (''Nemadactylus macropterus'') is a [[morwong]] of the genus ''[[Nemadactylus]]'', found off southern [[Australia]], the [[Atlantic]] coast of [[South America]], and all around [[New Zealand]] to depths of about 400 metres, on all types of bottoms. Its length is between 30 and 60 centimetres.
The '''''' or ''' morwong''' (''Nemadactylus macropterus'') is a [[morwong]] of the genus ''[[Nemadactylus]]'', found off southern [[Australia]], the [[Atlantic]] coast of [[South America]], and all around [[New Zealand]] to depths of about 400 metres, on all types of bottoms. Its length is between 30 and 60 centimetres.


The Tarakihi is similar to the [[Porae]] but with a silver body colour and a distinctive black saddle immediately behind the head. Their diet is similar to that of the Porae but also with a wide range of [[invertebrates]].
The is similar to the [[Porae]] but with a silver body colour and a distinctive black saddle immediately behind the head. Their diet is similar to that of the Porae but also with a wide range of [[invertebrates]].


They gather in large aggregations on the outer continental shelves to spawn in late summer and autumn. The mass of fertilised eggs then form part of the [[plankton]], developing into [[pelagic]] [[larvae]] that remain in open water for 7 to 10 months. At this stage they are dark grey above, bright red on the flanks, and silvery below but lack the black saddle of the adult. They then settle to the bottom and change to the adult colouration.
They gather in large aggregations on the outer continental shelves to spawn in late summer and autumn. The mass of fertilised eggs then form part of the [[plankton]], developing into [[pelagic]] [[larvae]] that remain in open water for 7 to 10 months. At this stage they are dark grey above, bright red on the flanks, and silvery below but lack the black saddle of the adult. They then settle to the bottom and change to the adult colouration.

Revision as of 19:46, 1 June 2006

Tarakihi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
N. macropterus
Binomial name
Nemadactylus macropterus
(Forster, 1801)

The tarakihi or jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) is a morwong of the genus Nemadactylus, found off southern Australia, the Atlantic coast of South America, and all around New Zealand to depths of about 400 metres, on all types of bottoms. Its length is between 30 and 60 centimetres.

The tarakihi is similar to the Porae but with a silver body colour and a distinctive black saddle immediately behind the head. Their diet is similar to that of the Porae but also with a wide range of invertebrates.

They gather in large aggregations on the outer continental shelves to spawn in late summer and autumn. The mass of fertilised eggs then form part of the plankton, developing into pelagic larvae that remain in open water for 7 to 10 months. At this stage they are dark grey above, bright red on the flanks, and silvery below but lack the black saddle of the adult. They then settle to the bottom and change to the adult colouration.

Tarakihi are an important commercial fishing species, taken by bottom trawling, and are also sought after by anglers. Large specimens of 5 or 6 kilograms are sometimes caught over rock pinnacles in deep water.

References

  • "Nemadactylus macropterus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 19 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Nemadactylus macropterus". FishBase. January 2006 version.
  • Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8