Atlantic Cod

Atlantic cod is a renowned demersal food fish of the Gadidae family. It is also known as haberdine, codling and most popularly as cod. Find out all about this amazing sea fish in the article below.

Atlantic Cod Scientific Name

Atlantic cod is scientifically known as Gadus morhua.

Atlantic Cod Description & Anatomy

Weight : An average Atlantic cod weighs upto almost 96 kg.

Size : This fish can grow to the length of 2 meter.

Color : These fish have grey or green colored scales. Sometimes they can also come in reddish or brownish shades. Their underneath parts are whitish in color. Their lateral lines are pale

Head : Their mouths open huge given their upper jaws and gills stretch wide.

Body : Their bodies are oval shaped. However their tails are square-ish.

Atlantic Cod Distribution

World’s largest hub of this fish is north-eastern Arctic areas, namely Arcto-Norwegian. It is also majorly found in Greenland. Coastal area of Europe, from Barents Sea to Bay of Biscay is another hub of this species of fish.

Picture 1 – Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Cod Habitat

This fish tends to inhabit temperature climes with long winters. They mostly live in the shallow areas to the deeper zones of the sea.

Atlantic Cod Behavior

Atlantic cod is very interesting to observe.

• Though it is a big fish still it diets on shrimps.
• It stays near the shallow areas mostly, and sometimes in the deeper zones of the seas.
• For reproducing these fishes always choose deeper zones. Those which do not stay in much depth they also shift to deeper water levels.
• This species of fish spawn in winters.

Atlantic Cod Diet

This species of fish primarily diet on water shrimps.

Atlantic Cod Nutrition Facts

This fish is considered quite nutritious. Find out its detailed nutrition content in the chart below.

Atlantic Cod Reproducing Season

These fishes are known to be winter spawners. They spawn in November and December.

Picture 2 - Atlantic Cod Image

Atlantic Cod Reproduction

Both genders of this species of fish reach reproductive maturity by the age of 5 years to 6 years. The number of eggs laid by female Atlantic cods in each spawning season depends on their age and size. They spawn in quite in-depth of water level, about 350 ft deep. The fishes that inhabit inshore move to offshore during reproduction.

Incubation period varies between 10 days and 40 days. Length of the incubation period depends upon the temperature of the water level where the eggs are being laid.

Atlantic Cod Life Span

Atlantic cods have been observed to live for about 25 years.

Atlantic Cod Predator

Many fishes prey on young Atlantic cods and even the larvae. Grown up Atlantic cods are so big that they hardly have any predator apart from sharks and whales.

Atlantic Cod Adaptation

These fishes are so huge in size that they hardly have any predator of the grown up fishes, thus no adaptive feature or defense mechanism is required by them.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Atlantic cod has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN, which means its existence is under threat.

Atlantic Cod Recipes

This species is a white flesh fish and very nutritious. Hence, this fish is being eaten in many forms.

Atlantic Cod Interesting Facts

Find out some of the most interesting points about Atlantic cod in below.

• Being one of the biggest fishes of the aquatic world this fish diets on shrimps.
• Irrespective of whatever depth of water they usually live in, they go into deeper levels to reproduce.
• This fish is so big in size in adult stage that it hardly has any predator apart from whales and dolphins.
• This fish is very nutritious and tasty. Thus it is used as a delicacy in many casual cuisines.
• Despite being huge in size and without much predator, this species stands in a vulnerable state in terms of their existence on Earth.

Atlantic Cod Pictures

Check out the pictures of this gorgeous fish below.

Picture 3 - Atlantic Cod Picture

Picture 4 - Atlantic Cod Photo

Reference:

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/finfish-poissons/atl-cod-morue-eng.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_cod

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=206

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_atlantic_cod_eat

http://www.cptdave.com/atlantic-cod.html

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atlantic_cod.htm