Cook Islands Biodiversity Database

Species Page

Back to: «« Search Page | « Results Page

Add to My List

Thyrsitoides marleyi

‘Ā‘ā Mangā

Black Snoek

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Fisherman's catch Rarotonga 99	204KB
Image:	Whole animal (b&w illlustration)	23KB
Image:	Fisherman's catch Rarotonga, CIGFC	221KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Black Snoek, Blacksail Snake Mackerel, Black Snook [Snoek/Snook is the South African name for Thyrsites atun, which is the Barracouta of Australia. Dutch "snoek" meaning "pike"]; French Escolier Gracile

TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘Ā‘ā Mangā (RR AK), Tangi Tuoro (MG), Ngana (AT), Papa‘i (MK MT), Mangā (TS TW), Palu Kapoa (PK)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Cooks; n. to Japan; s. to New Caledonia

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; A deep-water predator, down to 400m, coming into shallower water at night. Feeds on deepsea fishes, squid and crustacea. Technically known as a mesobenthopelagic fish. PLUS: ; Marine, near-shore, deepbottom

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Food (2+)

KEY FEATURES: An elongate fish (1:9 D:L) common to 100cm SL (max 150cm). Dark brown body and fins, with black blotch on first Dorsal membrane. First Dorsal tallest anteriorly, with ±18 spines; 2nd Dorsal and Anal opposite, ±2 finlets. Two lateral lines; upper ending ±origin of 2nd Dorsal; lower starting below 4th-5th Dorsal spine and ending in tail.

Enlarged Image of 'Thyrsitoides marleyi'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P	^^^P		P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
			P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Thyrsitoides marleyi Fowler, 1929
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; GEMPYLIDAE

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: see under Promethichthys prometheus.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimen Tereapi TeMata 5/98 170cm SL 28kg, ID J.Paxton & GMc. Mangaia: Photo Sue Ngatokorua, 9/2000, ID GMcC. Pukapuka: informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
Please refer to our use policy.

Biodiversity Database: More Options | Help

My List: View List | Edit List | Clear List