Auchenoceros punctatus (Hutton, 1873)
Ahuru
photo by Welter-Schultes, F.

Family:  Moridae (Morid cods)
Max. size:  13 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 5 - 420 m
Distribution:  Southwest Pacific: east coast of New Zealand southward; also in the Cook Strait.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Snout blunt; dorsal head profile smoothly rounded. Chin barbel absent. First dorsal fin appearing as a single, elongate ray, widely separated from the second dorsal fin. Ventral light organ absent. Color generally pale, variously reported as pink-tan with spots, silvery with a spot on side of the head and a yellow lateral stripe.
Biology:  Over sandy and muddy bottoms in inshore waters to depths of 420 m. Possibly an important forage fish for commercial species. Minimum depth reported from Ref. 57178.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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