Bony fish · Gadiformes · Gadidae

Blue Whiting

Micromesistius poutassou

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

The blue whiting — known in Spanish as bacaladilla or lirio — is a fish of the cod family, common in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In Spain this fish is also known by the names abril, bacalá, bacaladitos and perlita.

Weight

457 g on average

Size

up to 55.5 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Social structure

School

Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

Fun facts

  • GeneralOne of the most heavily fished species in the north-eastern Atlantic.
  • It is one of the most heavily fished species in the north-east Atlantic, and much of the catch goes to fishmeal.
  • It forms dense shoals in deep water and rises towards mid-water at night following the plankton.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type
Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment
Deep water from 100 to 1,000 m
Sexual maturity
19.8 months

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromesistius_poutassou

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Blue Whiting — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

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