Species: Merluccius bilinearis, Silver Hake

Merluccius bilinearis (Mitchill, 1814)

Silver Hake

Body elongate, compressed, tapering to a narrow tail base; head large (24-27% of SL) and flattened, with a V shape crest on top; large eyes and mouth, lower jaw slightly projecting; jaw teeth long, strong and pointed, in 2 irregular rows; teeth on center but not sides of roof of mouth; 16-18 long, pointed gill rakers; 2 separate dorsal fins, the 1st shorter and triangular, the 2nd with a long base (37-42 rays)and partly divided by a notch; anal fin similar to 2nd dorsal fin, 37-42 rays; well developed, non filamentous pelvic fins, 7 rays, situated before the pectorals; tail fin short, slightly forked; scales small; 101-110 scales on the lateral line.

Grey above, the remainder silvery white.

Size: 76 cm.

Habitat: on and nocturnally pelagic above soft bottoms; in estuaries and onto and below the continental shelf.

Depth: 55-914 m.

Florida to Newfoundland.