Senegalese hake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Senegalese hake |
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The Senegalese hake (Merluccius senegalensis) is a type of fish that belongs to the family called Merlucciidae, which are known as the true hakes. You can find this fish in the warm, subtropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, especially near the northwestern coast of Africa.
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About the Senegalese Hake
What Does It Look Like?
The Senegalese hake has a rather long head. Its head makes up about a quarter of its total body length. This fish has a single spine and 9 to 10 rays on its front dorsal fin, which is the fin on its back. The back dorsal fin has 38 to 41 rays. Its anal fin, located on the underside, has 37 to 40 rays. The tips of its pectoral fins, which are like arms, usually reach the start of its anal fin.
The tail fin, called the caudal fin, is usually flat at the end when the fish is young. As the fish grows older, its tail fin becomes more curved inward. Senegalese hake have small scales, with 124 to 155 scales along their lateral line, which is a special line of sensors along their side. Their upper body is steel grey to blackish. Their sides and belly are shiny silver-white. The inside of their mouth and tongue are dark, and they have a small black mark under their jaw. These fish can grow up to 81 centimeters (about 32 inches) long. However, they are more commonly found around 42 centimeters (about 16.5 inches). Female hake are usually larger than males.
Where Does It Live?
The Senegalese hake lives along the Atlantic coast of western North Africa. Its range stretches from Cape Cantin, which is in the north, all the way down to Cape Roxo in the south. Sometimes, it shares its living space with other hake species. For example, it lives in the same northern areas as the European hake (M. merluccius). In the southern parts of its range, it lives alongside M. polli. The location of these fish can change throughout the year. They tend to move south between October and April, and then they return north in August.
Life and Habitat
Where It Lives and What It Eats
The Senegalese hake is a type of fish that lives both in the open water and near the bottom of the ocean. It prefers to live over sandy or muddy areas. You can find them in relatively shallow waters, usually between 18 meters (about 60 feet) and 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) deep.
These hake mostly eat other fish. Some of their favorite meals include Synagrops microlepis, the Shortnose greeneye, the Cunene horse mackerel, and even other mackerel, whiptails, lanternfish, and merlucids. They also enjoy eating crustaceans like Munida iris and different types of shrimp. Sometimes, they will also eat cephalopods, which are creatures like squid and octopus.
Reproduction and Growth
The Senegalese hake likely lays its eggs, a process called spawning, from January to March. This usually happens at depths of about 300 meters (about 984 feet). The water temperature at these depths is around 12 degrees Celsius (about 54 degrees Fahrenheit). Female hake are ready to reproduce when they are about 39 centimeters (about 15 inches) long. Males become ready to reproduce when they are a bit smaller, usually between 22 and 28 centimeters (about 8.5 to 11 inches) long.
Fishing and Conservation
Fishing for Hake
In the past, fishing boats from countries like Spain, Portugal, and the Soviet Union used to specifically target the Senegalese hake. However, after Morocco and Mauritania created special economic exclusion zones, fishing in these areas became limited mostly to local fishing fleets.
When these fish are caught, they are often not reported separately. Instead, they are usually mixed in with catches of other hake species, like the European hake and M. polli. Senegalese hake are also sometimes caught by accident when people are fishing for other sea creatures, such as cephalopods.
Protecting the Senegalese Hake
The IUCN, which is a group that studies and protects nature, currently lists the Senegalese hake as an Endangered species. This means that its population is at a high risk of disappearing. Experts believe that the number of Senegalese hake in the ocean has likely dropped by 50% to 80% over three generations, up to the year 2015. This makes it very important to protect this fish and its habitat.
