Common names: hake (English), Merluza (Espanol)
 
Merluccius gayi Ginsburg, 1954

South-Pacific hake



Elongate, compressed, tapering to a narrow tail base; head long (26-32% of SL), 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; 18-25 gill rakers; 2 separate dorsal fins, the 1st  shorter and triangular, the 2nd  with a long base and partly divided by a notch, 36-42 rays; anal fin similar to 2nd  dorsal fin, 36-42; well developed, non filamentous pelvic fins, 7 rays, situated before the pectorals; tail fin short, slightly forked; scales small, 106-130 on the lateral line.


Color: Back metallic blue; flanks silvery.

Size: 87cm.

Habitat: pelagic.

Depth: 50-500 m.

Central Peru to Ecuador and the Galapagos.


M. gayi includes two subspecies; M. g. peruanus, and M. g. gayi, from Chile.