Micromesistius poutassou (Risso, 1827)
Blue whiting
Micromesistius poutassou
photo by Svensen, R.

 Family:  Gadidae (Cods and haddocks)
 Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 830.0 g; max. reported age: 20 years
 Environment:  bathypelagic; depth range 150 - 3000 m, oceanodromous
 Distribution:  Northeast Atlantic: Barents Sea south through the eastern Norwegian Sea, around Iceland, then in the western Mediterranean, and south along the African coast to Cape Bojador. Northwest Atlantic: southern Greenland and off southeast Canada and the northeastern coast of the USA.
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-28; Anal soft rays: 33-39. Dorsal fins widely spaced, interspace between second and third fins longer than base length of first dorsal fin. Lateral line continuous over whole body. Color is blue-gray dorsally, grading to white ventrally. Sometimes with a small black blotch at the base of the pectoral fin.
 Biology:  Found over the continental slope and shelf to more than 1000 m, but more common at 300-400 m. Feeds mostly on small crustaceans but large individuals also prey on small fish and cephalopods. Makes daily vertical migrations: surface waters at night and near the bottom during the day. Sold fresh and frozen, and also processed as oil and fishmeal (Ref. 1371).
 IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated  (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Froese, Rainer - 17.10.90
 Modified by: Kesner-Reyes, Kathleen - 22.09.08
 Checked by: Luna, Susan M. - 06.09.94

Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.


Page created by Jen, 05.08.02, php script by kbanasihan 06/09/2010 ,  last modified by dsantos, 20/08/10