The gunman suspected of killing 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Day has been arrested, according to local media reports.

Abdulkadir Masharipov was reportedly arrested by police in the Esenyurt district of the Turkish capital, the Hurriyet newspaper said.

Unconfirmed reports by local media say the man was operating under the cover name Ebu Muhammed Horasani, and was caught in a special police operation with his son on the European side of the city.

The Uzbek national was to undergo medical checks before being taken to a police headquarters for questioning, the reports said.

Dozens of people have been detained in connection with the attack for which Isis has claimed responsibility, citing revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria as the motive.

Turkish police launched a nationwide man hunt for the suspect after he opened fire at the crowded Reina nightclub, in an assault lasting several minutes.

The attacker killed a policeman and another man outside the nightclub in the early hours of 1 January, before entering and firing at an estimated 600 people partying inside, unleashing more than 100 bullets.

He was also reported to have reloaded his weapon half a dozen times and to have shot at the wounded as they lay on the floor.

Citizens of Israel, France, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, Belgium, Jordan and Saudi Arabia were among the victims, and 69 people were injured.