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The Patagonian
toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) is a fish found
in the cold, temperate waters (between depths of 45
to 3850 m) of the Southern Atlantic, Southern
Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans on seamounts
and continental shelves around most sub-Antarctic
islands.
A commercial fishery exists for Patagonian toothfish;
the meat is sold under the trade names “Chilean sea
bass” in the USA; “merluza negra” in Chile,
Argentina, and Uruguay where it is relatively cheap;
and “mero” in Japan where it is sold at high prices. A close
relative, the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus
mawsoni), is found farther south around the edges of
the Antarctic shelf; it also lives in the Ross Sea.
The average weight of a commercially caught
Patagonian toothfish is 9 to 10 kilograms (20 to 22
pounds) with large adults occasionally exceeding 200
kilograms (441 pounds). They are thought to live up
to fifty years and to reach a length up to 2.3
metres (7.5 feet).
Patagonian toothfish feed largely on squid, fish,
and prawns and, in turn, constitute a large part of
the diets of sperm whales, Southern Elephant Seals,
and colossal squid.
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