Distribution and biology of the Mandarin dogfish
in New Zealand waters
The Mandarin dogfish(Cirrhigaleus barbifer) is littleknown but widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific
Ocean. Its IUCN Red List Assessment is: near threatened.
The species occurs on the outer continental shelf and
uppermost continental and insular slopes between about
100 and 600 m depth. It appears to be naturally rare
throughout its range. Literature accounts refer to about
18 specimens, of which about 7 have been reported
from Japan.
Clinton Duffy
Honshu, Japan
Science & Research Unit
Department of Conservation
Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
[email protected]
ec R
idge
30º
Ker
m ad
Colv
ille Rid
ge
Norfolk Ridge
Tashi, Taiwan
0°
Torres I, Vanuatu
Fiji
20°S
Tasmania
100°
Gisborne
120E°
160°
160°
180°
Distribution in the
Indo-Pacific region
Biology
Chatham Rise
Size
Females ranged from 87.5 to 127.7 cm TL, and males from 78.8 to 103.5 cm TL. Size at
maturity for females was between 108 cm and 115 cm TL; for males it was estimated to
be about 95 cm TL.
180º
Litter size
A single litter of 10 embryos was reported
from the Bay of Plenty in November 1970.
‘Our’ female caught off Great Barrier Island
(GBI) contained 6 female embryos (3 in each
uterus) ranging from 13.7 to 14.8 cm TL. All
had large external yolk sacs and were not
close to birth.
Here we provide 18 New Zealand records.
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa,
Wellington, holds 14 specimens (excluding embryos):
11 were previously unreported.
The Edward Percival Field Station, University of
Canterbury, Kaikoura has one specimen in its reference
collection.
One specimen of unknown size and sex was reported
off Gisborne, east coast North Island, in a recreational
fishing magazine. Identification was confirmed by a
photograph accompanying the report.
Proportional changes in
dorsal fin heights
y = 0.0002 x +0.0657
R² = 0.7526
0.12
Proportion of TL
We examined a pregnant female of 120 cm total length
(TL) and a 115 cm TL female, both caught off Great
Barrier Island, northeast North Island in 2003.
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
D1 fin height
D2 fin height
0.02
0.00
0
Habitat
1 by a recreational angler (5%)
3 in bottom-set gill nets (17%)
9 taken on droplines or bottom-set longlines (50%)
set for hapuka, bass and bluenose (these three fish
species are large semi-pelagic teleosts, normally
associated with rocky ground on the outer shelf and
upper continental slope)
150
0.60
0.50
0.40
y = 0.0006 x +0.2463
R² = 0.7833
0.30
0.20
Snout-P1
Snout-P2
0.10
0.00
0
50
100
150
Total length (cm)
Proportional changes
within the head
Proportion of head length
y = 0.0027 x +0.4247
R² = 0.2564
0.40
0.30
0.20
y = 0.004 x +0.1857
Preoral length R² = 0.3622
Preorbital length
0.10
0.00
0
10
20
5 cm
Embryo from 120 cm TL female caught
off Great Barrier Island, June 2003
Proportions
Proportional changes with growth were generally
similar to those of other squaloid dogfishes. The trunk
was proportionally longer in large specimens. Within
the head, the pre-oral length and orbital length tended
to decrease, and pre-orbital length to increase with
growth. Unlike other squaloids, the dorsal fins increased
in height. In conformity with earlier reports, the
distinctive nasal barbel was proportionally smaller in
larger specimens.
Aging
y = 0.0005 x +0.4807
R² = 0.682
No capture method information was available for
the remaining 4 specimens (22%)
Capture depths ranged from 91 to 508 m (mean ± SE
= 300 ± 45.5 m, n=10). The trawled specimen was
taken between 490 and 508 m (43 – 357 m above the
bottom). The only other fish taken in that trawl were
five large bluenose.
100
Proportional changes in
the head and trunk
Proportion of TL
1 in a midwater research trawl (5%)
50
y = 0.0002 x +0.0598
R² = 0.7031
Total length (cm)
Most captures were reportedly from steeply shelving,
possibly rocky parts of the upper slope and oceanic
ridges. This apparent habitat preference is reflected
in the method of capture:
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
140°
40ºS
Kaikoura
170ºE
New Zealand
40°
Bay of Plenty
160º
School of Biological Sciences
University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
New South Wales
Great Barrier Island
Hawke Bay
Silver Bishop
and Kara Yopak
Tuvalu
Lombok,
Indonesia
30
The first dorsal spine and a section of vertebrae from
beneath the first dorsal fin were collected from the
120 cm GBI female. Sectioning the vertebrae revealed
no structures that could be interpreted as annuli. Our
preliminary age estimate based
upon counts of the bands
visible on the first dorsal
1 cm
spine is 15–17 years.
Stomach contents
The 120 cm GBI female contained the arm of a large
octopus, the 115 cm GBI female the partial remains
of a large unidentified teleost. Both prey organisms
were large relative to the size of the predator, and only
partially consumed. These first observations of Mandarin
dogfish diet confirm speculation of dietary similarity
to other deepwater squaloid dogfishes.
Heath length (cm)
DOC Science Poster no 67 (edition 1 Nov 2003) prepared by Chris Edkins
Other titles available from DOC Science Publiishing, Dept. of Conservation,
Box 10420, Wellington.