Where Does Common Whiptail Live?

Common Whiptail lives in specific habitats. Knowing where to look helps you find and identify it.

Where to find Common Whiptail

Water type

saltwater

Depth

Typically found in depths ranging from 100 to 1000 meters, with juveniles often in shallower waters (50-200m) and adults migrating to deeper spawning grounds.

Environment

Demersal to benthopelagic, inhabiting continental slopes and oceanic ridges. Forms large schools, particularly during spawning aggregations.

Geographic range

Primarily found in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly around New Zealand (its type locality), southern Australia, and off the coast of Chile and Argentina. There are two recognized subspecies: Macruronus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae (New Zealand and Australia) and Macruronus novaezelandiae magellanicus (South America).

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