Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Merlucciidae
- Genus
- Urophycis
- Species
- earllii
Habitat
Carolina hake inhabits continental shelf waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, from depths of about 18 to 366 meters over sandy or muddy bottoms. They prefer cooler temperate waters and are commonly found near the eastern coast of the United States, from Virginia to Florida.
Diet
Carolina hake primarily feeds on small fishes, squids, and crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs. They are opportunistic predators that hunt near the seafloor, often at night when they are most active. Feeding behavior includes ambushing prey in deeper waters.
Behavior
Carolina hake are solitary and benthic, spending most of their time near the ocean floor. They exhibit nocturnal activity patterns, foraging at night and resting during the day, with little evidence of territorial behavior. This species is generally sedentary but may migrate seasonally to deeper waters in winter.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.