Pearl Side

Silvery with a greenish-blue back (Ref. 4054).

Spawns at least twice in in a lifetime (Ref. 57912).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 19 - 24

Although it lives close to the bottom, M. muelleri feeds almost exclusively on plankton. Daily vertical migration makes it possible to use the wealth of zooplankton at the surface (Ref. 33976). A cyclic selective feeder of copepods, euphausiids and hyperiid amphipods (Ref. 4739, 54164). It is preyed upon by cod, herring and pollock (Ref. 5951).

Oceanic, found to depths of at least 1,524 m. Migrate in the water column at depths of 150-250 m during the day and to about 50 m at night (Ref. 57912, 107678). Mesopelagic (Ref. 5951); abundant near continental shelf-slope breaks and seamounts, rare in the open ocean (Ref. 107678). A cyclic selective feeder of copepods and euphausiids (Ref. 4739). They become sexually mature when 1 year old. Spawning takes place in March - September, producing 200-500 eggs, floating on the surface (Ref. 35388). Lipid content is 5.5 % in fresh body weight and wax ester is 15.3 % in total lipids (Ref. 8966).

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: unknown; price reliability: