Greenland cod
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gadiformes
Family: Gadidae
Genus: Gadus
Species:
G. ogac
Binomial name
Gadus ogac

The Greenland cod (Gadus ogac), commonly known also as ogac, is a species of ray-finned fish in the cod family, Gadidae. Genetic analysis has shown that it may be the same species as the Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus).[1] It is a bottom-dwelling fish and is found on the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean and northwestern Atlantic Ocean, its range extending from Alaska to West Greenland, then southwards along the Canadian coast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Cape Breton Island. It is a commercially harvested food fish,[2][3] but landings have been greatly reduced in recent years.

Taxonomy

Molecular genetic analyses strongly suggest that Greenland cod is not different from Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus - Gadus ogac is then a junior synonym of G. macrocephalus.[1] ITIS and the Catalogue of Life list Gadus ogac as synonym of G. macrocephalus.[4]

Description

In colour the Greenland cod is generally sombre, ranging from tan to brown to silvery. Its appearance is similar to that of other cod species; generally heavy-bodied, elongate, usually with a stout caudal peduncle.[3] They can grow to a length of 77 cm.[2]

They are bottom fishes inhabiting inshore waters and continental shelves, up to depths of 200 m. Their range covers the Arctic Ocean and Northwest Atlantic Ocean from Alaska to West Greenland, then south along the Canadian coast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Cape Breton Island generally from 45 to 75 degrees north.[3]

Their wholesome flesh is whitish and flaky but firmer and tougher and less desirable than that of the Atlantic cod. The stock of Greenland cod has been strongly reduced in recent years.[3]

Fisheries

Global capture of Greenland cod in tonnes reported by the FAO, 1950–2010[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Carr, S. M.; Kivlichan, D. S.; Pepin, P.; Crutcher, D. C. (1999). "Molecular systematics of gadid fishes: Implications for the biogeographic origins of Pacific species". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 77: 19–26. doi:10.1139/z98-194.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2005). "Gadus ogac" in FishBase. October 2005 version.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gadus ogac (Richardson, 1836) FAO, Species Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 2012.
  4. ↑ Catalogue of Life: Gadus macrocephalus.

Further reading


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.