Kingdom Animalia Scientific name Albatrossia pectoralis Phylum Chordata Order Gadiformes | Family Macrouridae Higher classification Albatrossia Rank Species | |
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Genus Albatrossia
D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1898 Similar Grenadiers, Coryphaenoides, Macrourus, Coryphaenoides acrolepis, Gadiformes | ||
Giant grenadier
The giant grenadier, Albatrossia pectoralis, is a very large rattail, the only member of the genus Albatrossia, found in the north Pacific from northern Japan to the Okhotsk and Bering Seas, east to the Gulf of Alaska, and south to northern Baja California in Mexico, at depths between 140 and 3,500 m. Its length is up to 2.1 m. The giant grenadier has the usual greatly elongated, pointed tail of the rattails.
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Ecology
Giant grenadiers are apex predators on the upper continental slopes of the northern Pacific. Their main prey items are Octopoteuthis deletron squid and Vampyroteuthis infernalis vampire squid.
Because of their great abundance, several attempts have been made to develop a fishery for giant grenadier. However, the fish is categorized as “unpalatable” because of its soft texture, high moisture content, and low protein content.
