Atka mackerel
Encyclopedia
The Atka mackerel, Pleurogrammus monopterygius, is a mackerel
in the family
Hexagrammidae
. Atka mackerel are common to the northern Pacific ocean
, and are one of only two members of the genus
Pleurogrammus - the other being the Arabesque greenling
(Pleurogrammus azonus). The Atka mackerel was named for Atka Island
(Atx̂ax̂ in Aleut
), the largest island of the Andreanof islands
, a branch of the Aleutians.
, who published his description of the fish in 1810, roughly a year before his death.
Atka mackerel were once considered to be synonymous with Arabesque greenlings. The combined species would have been called the Okhotsk Atka mackerel
, a name now used only for the greenling. The two fishes are, in reality, two distinct species.
s and rays that they have on their fin
s. They have 21 spines, and anywhere from 25-29 rays on their dorsal fin
s, and only one spine (but 24-26 rays) on their anal fins.
Found exclusively in the northern Pacific, Atka mackerel are known from Cape Navarin in the Bering sea
, and from Stalemate and Bowers Bank in the Aleutian chain to Icy bay, Alaska
. They can also be rarely seen as far south as Redondo Beach, California
.
Atka mackerel can generally be found from the intertidal zone
to depths up to 575 meters.
adhere to crevices in the rocks, and incubate for 40–45 days. Males guard the clutches of eggs until they hatch. Atka mackerel feed on copepods and euphausiids. They are, in turn, preyed upon
by several species, such as the Coho salmon
and the endangered Steller sea lion.
as game fish. In fact, American
ichthyologist David Starr Jordan
wrote about fishing for Atka mackerel on May 28, 1892 in American Food and Game Fishes:
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Hexagrammidae
Hexagrammidae
The family of marine fishes Hexagrammidae incorporates the greenlings. These fish are found on the continental shelf in the temperate or subarctic waters of the North Pacific. They are a well-known family in the littoral zone from southern California north to the Aleutian Islands...
. Atka mackerel are common to the northern Pacific ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and are one of only two members of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Pleurogrammus - the other being the Arabesque greenling
Arabesque greenling
The Arabesque greenling is a species of mackerel used in Japanese cuisine.The primary population of the fish is found off of the Sea of Okhotsk. According to legend, it was discovered by Nichiji.-Uses:...
(Pleurogrammus azonus). The Atka mackerel was named for Atka Island
Atka Island
Atka Island is the largest island in the Andreanof Islands of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The island is east of Adak Island. It is long and wide with a land area of , making it the 22nd largest island in the United States. The northeast of Atka Island contains the Korovin volcano which...
(Atx̂ax̂ in Aleut
Aleut language
Aleut is a language of the Eskimo–Aleut language family. It is the heritage language of the Aleut people living in the Aleutian Islands, Pribilof Islands, and Commander Islands. As of 2007 there were about 150 speakers of Aleut .- Dialects :Aleut is alone with the Eskimo languages in the...
), the largest island of the Andreanof islands
Andreanof Islands
The Andreanof Islands are a group of islands in the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. They are located between Amchitka Pass and the Rat Islands group to the west, and Amukta Pass and the Islands of Four Mountains group to the east, at about 52° North and 172°57' to 179°09' West. The islands...
, a branch of the Aleutians.
Taxonomy
The Atka mackerel was originally described under the genus Labrax, but has since been moved to Pleurogrammus. Both names are attributed to Peter Simon PallasPeter Simon Pallas
Peter Simon Pallas was a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia.- Life and work :Pallas was born in Berlin, the son of Professor of Surgery Simon Pallas. He studied with private tutors and took an interest in natural history, later attending the University of Halle and the University...
, who published his description of the fish in 1810, roughly a year before his death.
Atka mackerel were once considered to be synonymous with Arabesque greenlings. The combined species would have been called the Okhotsk Atka mackerel
Arabesque greenling
The Arabesque greenling is a species of mackerel used in Japanese cuisine.The primary population of the fish is found off of the Sea of Okhotsk. According to legend, it was discovered by Nichiji.-Uses:...
, a name now used only for the greenling. The two fishes are, in reality, two distinct species.
Description
Able to live up to 14 years, the largest Atka mackerel recorded was 56.5 cm long; the heaviest recorded weight was 2.0 kg. Adults have five vertical, blackish bands on their bodies, which are normally yellowish. Atka mackerel can be distinguished from other, similar species by the number of spineSpine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
s and rays that they have on their fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
s. They have 21 spines, and anywhere from 25-29 rays on their dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s, and only one spine (but 24-26 rays) on their anal fins.
Distribution and habitat
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
, and from Stalemate and Bowers Bank in the Aleutian chain to Icy bay, Alaska
Icy Bay, Alaska
Icy Bay is a body of water in southeast Alaska, formed in the last 100 years by the rapid retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse, and Tyndall Glacier Glaciers. It is part of the Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness....
. They can also be rarely seen as far south as Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
.
Atka mackerel can generally be found from the intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
to depths up to 575 meters.
Biology
Atka mackerel migrate from shelves to coastal waters to spawn which occurs (in the Aleutians) from July to September. Their eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
adhere to crevices in the rocks, and incubate for 40–45 days. Males guard the clutches of eggs until they hatch. Atka mackerel feed on copepods and euphausiids. They are, in turn, preyed upon
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
by several species, such as the Coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
and the endangered Steller sea lion.
Relationship with humans
Atka mackerel are used as food in the Aleutian chain, and can be caughtAngling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
as game fish. In fact, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ichthyologist David Starr Jordan
David Starr Jordan
David Starr Jordan, Ph.D., LL.D. was a leading eugenicist, ichthyologist, educator and peace activist. He was president of Indiana University and Stanford University.-Early life and education:...
wrote about fishing for Atka mackerel on May 28, 1892 in American Food and Game Fishes:
The fish were in schools and it was easy to get great numbers; in fact, one would be kept very busy hauling in the fish and taking them off the hook... When first hooked they would come up very readily, in fact they seemed to swim upward until near the surface when they would become alarmed and dart back and forth in their efforts to free themselves. The sport was very exciting. During 4 hours fishing 9 persons with 26 lines took 585 fish... And as our ship was out of fresh meat of every kind, all these fish were soon eaten by the officers and crew.