Blue cod

Blue cod
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Trachiniformes
Family: Pinguipedidae
Genus: Parapercis
Species:
P. colias
Binomial name
Parapercis colias
(Forster, 1801)
Synonyms[2]

Enchelyopus colias Forster, 1801

This article is about the New Zealand reef fish. For the North Pacific deep-sea fish (sablefish) called blue cod in the UK, see Anoplopoma fimbria.

The New Zealand blue cod (Parapercis colias) is a temperate marine fish[3] of the family Pinguipedidae.[4] It is also known by its Māori names, rāwaru, pākirikiri and patutuki, and by its other names in English, Boston blue cod, New Zealand cod or sand perch.[5]

It is exclusively found in New Zealand, in shallow waters around rocky coasts to a depth of 150 m, though it is far more common south of Cook Strait.[6] It is bluish green to blue-black above with white toward the belly.[7] Large examples are usually greenish blue in colour, while smaller ones are blotched in varying shades of brown.[7] An adult may grow to 60 cm in length and weigh from 1.0 to 3.0 kg.[8][9] It feeds mainly on small fish and crabs.[10] Blue cod is territorial.[11] Spawning takes place in southern spring.[12][13] Blue cod can also change sex from female to male.[14]

It is an important recreational species in the South Island and is commercially harvested.[15][16] Blue cod populations are managed under New Zealand's fisheries quota management system, although they are becoming scarce in some small areas due to fishing pressure.[17] Annual catch range is between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes.[18]

  1. ^ Collen, B.; Richman, N.; Beresford, A.; Chenery, A.; Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team) (2017) [errata version of 2010 assessment]. "Parapercis colias". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T154870A115246940.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Parapercis colias". FishBase. February 2018 version.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Carbines2004.a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ New Zealand Organisms Register. (2018). "Blue cod". Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  5. ^ Ministry for Primary Industries (2018). "New Zealand List of Scientific Names of Fish". Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Carbine1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Paulin1989 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hirt-Chabbert was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference JiangCarbine was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Russell, B. C. (1983). "The food and feeding habits of rocky reef fish of north-eastern New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 17 (2): 121–145. doi:10.1080/00288330.1983.9515991.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mutch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference AylingCox was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference PankhurstConroy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Carbines1998' was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paul.a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paul.b was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPI2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPI2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).