Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Pacific Grenadier Coryphaenoides acrolepis
The Pacific grenadier is one of about 300 different species of grenadiers that are found just off continental shelves and are abundant in every ocean. Grenadiers are also known as rattails because they have a large, bulbous head with big eyes, a sharp snout, and a long, scaly tail. The Pacific grenadier is dark brown with a tall dorsal fin. Another low fin runs along the back and all the way around the tail.
This species spends most of its time near the seabed searching for food but it sometimes swims up into midwater, where it can catch squid, shrimp, and small fish.
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- Order Gadiformes
- Length Up to 3 ft (1 m)
- Weight Up to 6 lb (3 kg)
- Depth 1,000–12,000 ft (300–3,700 m)
- Distribution Deep, temperate waters of north Pacific
