1.
Atlantic cod
–
The Atlantic cod is a benthopelagic fish of the family Gadidae, widely consumed by humans. It is also known as cod or codling. Dry cod may be prepared as unsalted stockfish or as cured salt cod or clipfish, the largest individual on record was 6 feet long and weighed 211 lb, however usually the cod is between 24 inches and 4 feet long, and weighs 88 lb. There is generally no difference in weight or size between sexes of Atlantic Cod, Atlantic Cod can live for 25 years, and usually attains sexual maturity between ages two and four, although cod in the northeast Arctic can take as long as eight years to fully mature. Colouring is brown or green, with spots on the dorsal side, a stripe along its lateral line is clearly visible. Its habitat ranges from the shoreline down to the continental shelf, several cod stocks collapsed in the 1990s and have failed to recover even with the cessation of fishing. This absence of the predator has led to a trophic cascade in many areas. Many other cod stocks remain at risk, the Atlantic cod is labelled vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Adult cod form squirting aggregations from late winter to spring, females release their eggs in batches, and males compete to fertilize them. Fertilized eggs drift with currents and develop into larvae. Age of maturation varies between cod stocks, from two to four in the west Atlantic, but as late as eight years in the northeast Arctic. Cod can live for 13 years or more, the Atlantic cod is one of three cod species in the genus Gadus along with Pacific cod and Greenland cod. A variety of species are colloquially known as cod, but they are not strictly classified within the Gadus genus, though some are in the Atlantic cod family. Atlantic cod are a species and move in large, size-structured aggregations. Larger fish act as scouts and lead the shoals direction, particularly during post spawning migrations inshore for feeding, Cod actively feed during migration and changes in shoal structure occur when food is encountered. Shoals are generally thought to be leaderless, with all fish having equal status. However, some studies suggest that leading fish gain certain feeding benefits, one study of a migrating Atlantic cod shoal showed significant variability in feeding habits based on size and position in the shoal. Larger scouts consumed a more variable, higher quantity of food, while trailing fish had less variable diets, Atlantic cod are apex predators in the Baltic and adults are generally free from the concerns of predation
Atlantic cod
–
Atlantic cod
Atlantic cod
Atlantic cod
–
Atlantic cod juvenile
Atlantic cod
–
Atlantic cod are
demersal fish —they prefer sea bottoms with coarse sediments.
2.
Predator fish
–
Predatory fish are fish that prey upon other fish or animals. Some predatory fish include perch, muskie, pike, walleye, levels of large predatory fish in the global oceans were estimated to be about 10% of their pre-industrial levels by 2003. Large predatory fish are most at risk of extinction, there was a level of large predatory fish extinctions during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. Creation of marine reserves has been found to restore populations of predatory fish such as the Serranidae — groupers. Predatory fish switch between types of prey in response to variations in their abundance, such changes in preference are disproportionate and are selected for as evolutionarily efficient. Predatory fish may become a pest if they are introduced into an ecosystem in which they become a new top predator, an example, which has caused much trouble in Maryland and Florida, is the snakehead fish. Predators are an important factor to consider in managing fisheries, and methods for doing so are available, feeding frenzy Scale eating Shark attack Shark feeding Predatory fish on AquaticCommunity. com Predator fish in oceans on alarming decline, experts say Washington Post,21 February 2011
Predator fish
–
About
fish
3.
Billfish
–
The term billfish refers to a group of predatory fish characterised by prominent bills, or rostra, and by their large size, some are longer than 4 m. Billfish include sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophoridae and they are apex predators which feed on a wide variety of smaller fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Billfish are pelagic and highly migratory and they are found in all oceans, although they usually inhabit tropical and subtropical waters, swordfish are found in temperate waters, as well. Billfish use their long spears or sword-like upper beaks to slash at and their bills can also be used to spear prey, and have been known to spear boats, but they are not normally used in that way. They are highly valued as gamefish by sports fishermen, the term billfish refers to the fishes of the families Xiphiidae and Istiophoridae. These large fishes are characterized by the prolongation of the jaw, much beyond the lower jaw into a long rostrum which is flat and sword-like or rounded. The 12 species of true billfish are divided into two families and five genera, one family, Xiphiidae, contains only one species, the swordfish Xiphias gladius, and the other family, Istiophoridae contains 11 species in four genera, including marlin, spearfish, and sailfish. Controversy exists about whether the Indo-Pacific blue marlin, Makaira mazara, is the species as the Atlantic blue marlin. FishBase follows Nakamura in recognizing M. mazara as a distinct species, a number of other fishes have pronounced bills or beaks, and are sometimes referred to as billfish. However, they are not true billfish, halfbeaks look somewhat like miniature billfish, and the sawfish and sawshark, which are cartilaginous fishes with spectacular rostrums shaped like a chain saw. Paddlefish have elongated rostrums containing electroreceptors that can detect weak electrical fields, paddlefish are filter feeders and may use their rostrum to detect zooplankton. Billfish have a long, bony, spear-shaped bill, sometimes called a snout, the swordfish has the longest bill, about one-third its body length. Like a true sword, it is smooth, flat, pointed, the bills of other billfish are shorter and rounder, more like spears. Billfish normally use their bills to slash at schooling fish and they swim through the fish school at high speed, slashing left and right, and then circle back to eat the fish they stunned. Adult swordfish have no teeth, and other billfish have only small file-like teeth and they swallow their catch whole, head-first. Billfish dont normally spear with their bills, though occasionally a marlin will flip a fish into the air, given the speed and power of these fish, when they do spear things the results can be dramatic. Predators of billfish, such as white and mako sharks, have been found with billfish spears embedded in them. Pelagic fish generally are fascinated by floating objects, and congregate about them, Billfish can accidentally impale boats and other floating objects when they pursue the small fish that aggregate around them
Billfish
–
The largest billfish, the
Atlantic blue marlin, weighs up to 820 kg (1800 lb) and has been classified as a
vulnerable species.
Billfish
Billfish
Billfish
4.
Bonito
–
Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the Sardini tribe, it consists of eight species across four genera, bonito is an adjective that means pretty applied to males or masculine objects both in Portuguese and Spanish, but it is unclear whether the name of the fish is related to this. However, it is said to be derived of the Italian buono, the bonito has a moderate fat content. Bonito may not be marketed as tuna in all countries, however, the Atlantic bonito is also found in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where it is a popular food fish, eaten grilled, pickled, or baked. Other fish sometimes called bonito include skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis Sardini
Bonito
–
Bonito
5.
Mackerel
–
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They are found in temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. Mackerel typically have stripes on their backs and deeply forked tails. Many species are restricted in their ranges, and live in separate populations or fish stocks based on geography. Some stocks migrate in schools along the coast to suitable spawning grounds. After spawning they return the way they came, in smaller schools, from there they may move offshore into deeper waters and spend the winter in relative inactivity. Smaller mackerel are forage fish for larger predators, including larger mackerel, flocks of seabirds, as well as whales, dolphins, sharks and schools of larger fish such as tuna and marlin follow mackerel schools and attack them in sophisticated and cooperative ways. Mackerel is high in oils and is intensively harvested by humans. In 2009, over five tons were landed by commercial fishermen. Sport fishermen value the fighting abilities of the king mackerel, over thirty different species, principally belonging to the family Scombridae, are commonly referred to as mackerel. The term mackerel means marked or spotted, the term mackerel derives from the Old French maquerel, c.1300, meaning a pimp or procurer. The connection is not altogether clear, but mackerel spawn enthusiastically in shoals near the coast, about 21 species in the family Scombridae are commonly called mackerel. The type species for the mackerel is the Atlantic mackerel. Until recently, it was thought that Atlantic chub mackerel and Indo-Pacific chub mackerel were subspecies of the same species, in 1999 Collette established, on molecular and morphological considerations, that these are separate species. Mackerel are smaller with shorter life cycles than their relatives, the tuna. The true mackerels belong to the tribe Scombrini, the tribe consists of seven species, each belonging to one of two genera, Scomber and Rastrelliger. The Spanish mackerels belong to the tribe Scomberomorini, which is the tribe of the true mackerels. This tribe consists of 21 species in all—18 of those are classified into the genus Scomberomorus, in addition, a number of species with mackerel-like characteristics in the families Carangidae, Hexagrammidae and Gempylidae are commonly referred to as mackerel
Mackerel
–
Some species of mackerel
migrate in
schools for long distances along the coast and other species cross oceans
Mackerel
Mackerel
–
Still life with mackerel, lemon and tomato,
Van Gogh, 1886
Mackerel
–
Mackerel, such as these
Pacific jack mackerel, usually have vertical stripes on their sides which provide "schooling marks", visual clues that help them stay in formation as they
school.
6.
Salmon
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Salmon /ˈsæmən/ is the common name for several species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. Other fish in the family include trout, char, grayling. Salmon are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, many species of salmon have been introduced into non-native environments such as the Great Lakes of North America and Patagonia in South America. Salmon are intensively farmed in parts of the world. Typically, salmon are anadromous, they are born in water, migrate to the ocean. However, populations of species are restricted to fresh water through their lives. Various species of salmon display anadromous life strategies while others display freshwater resident life strategies, folklore has it that the fish return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn, tracking studies have shown this to be mostly true. A portion of a salmon run may stray and spawn in different freshwater systems. The percent of straying depends on the species of salmon, homing behavior has been shown to depend on olfactory memory. The term salmon comes from the Latin salmo, which in turn may have originated from salire, the nine commercially important species of salmon occur in two genera. The genus Salmo contains the Atlantic salmon, found in the north Atlantic, the genus Oncorhynchus contains eight species which occur naturally only in the North Pacific. As a group, these are known as Pacific salmon, Chinook salmon have been introduced in New Zealand and Patagonia. Coho, freshwater sockeye, and Atlantic salmon have established in Patagonia. † Both the Salmo and Oncorhynchus genera also contain a number of species referred to as trout, within Salmo, additional minor taxa have been called salmon in English, i. e. the Adriatic salmon and Black Sea salmon. The steelhead anadromous form of the rainbow trout migrates to sea, also a number of other species have common names which refer to them as being salmon. The British Columbia salmon fossil provides evidence that the divergence between Pacific and Atlantic salmon had not yet occurred 40 million years ago, Both the fossil record and analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggest the divergence occurred by 10 to 20 million years ago. This independent evidence from DNA analysis and the fossil record rejects the theory of salmon divergence. Atlantic salmon reproduce in northern rivers on both coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, landlocked salmon live in a number of lakes in eastern North America and in Northern Europe, for instance in lakes Sebago, Onega, Ladoga, Saimaa, Vänern, and Winnipesaukee
Salmon
–
Pacific salmon leaping at
Willamette Falls,
Oregon
Salmon
Salmon
–
Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar
Salmon
–
Life cycle of Pacific salmon
7.
Shark
–
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha and are the group to the rays. Under this broader definition, the earliest known sharks date back to more than 420 million years ago, acanthodians are often referred to as spiny sharks, though they are not part of Chondrichthyes proper, they are a paraphyletic assemblage leading to cartilaginous fish as a whole. Since then, sharks have diversified into over 500 species, Sharks are found in all seas and are common to depths of 2,000 metres. They generally do not live in freshwater although there are a few exceptions, such as the bull shark and the river shark. Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protects their skin from damage and they have numerous sets of replaceable teeth. Well-known species such as the white shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark. Many shark populations are threatened by human activities, until the 16th century, sharks were known to mariners as sea dogs. The etymology of the shark is uncertain. One theory is that it derives from the Yucatec Maya word xok, however, the Middle English Dictionary records an isolated occurrence of the word shark in a letter written by Thomas Beckington in 1442, which rules out a New World etymology. Evidence for the existence of sharks dates from the Ordovician period, 450–420 million years ago, before land vertebrates existed and before many plants had colonized the continents. Only scales have been recovered from the first sharks and not all agree that these are from true sharks. The oldest generally accepted shark scales are from about 420 million years ago, the first sharks looked very different from modern sharks. The majority of sharks can be traced back to around 100 million years ago. Most fossils are of teeth, often in large numbers, partial skeletons and even complete fossilized remains have been discovered. Estimates suggest that sharks grow tens of thousands of teeth over a lifetime, the teeth consist of easily fossilized calcium phosphate, an apatite. When a shark dies, the decomposing skeleton breaks up, scattering the apatite prisms, preservation requires rapid burial in bottom sediments. Among the most ancient and primitive sharks is Cladoselache, from about 370 million years ago, which has been found within Paleozoic strata in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee
Shark
Shark
–
A collection of
Cretaceous shark teeth
Shark
–
The teeth of
tiger sharks are oblique and serrated to saw through flesh
Shark
–
The dermal denticles of a
lemon shark, viewed through a
scanning electron microscope
8.
Tuna
–
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a sub-grouping of the mackerel family – which together with the tunas, also includes the bonitos, mackerels, and Spanish mackerels. Thunnini comprises fifteen species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, the bluefin averages 2 m, and is believed to live for up to 50 years. Tuna and mackerel sharks are the species of fish that can maintain a body temperature higher than that of the surrounding water. An active and agile predator, the tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, found in warm seas, it is extensively fished commercially, and is popular as a game fish. As a result of over-fishing, stocks of tuna species such as the southern bluefin tuna have been reduced dangerously close to the point of extinction. The term tuna ultimately derives from Thunnus, the Middle Latin form of the Ancient Greek, θύννος tunny-fish – which is in turn derived from θύνω, rush, the following cladogram illustrates the relationship between the tunas and other tribes of the family Scombridae. The true tunas are those that belong to the genus Thunnus, until recently, it was thought that there were seven Thunnus species, and that Atlantic bluefin tuna and Pacific bluefin tuna were subspecies of a single species. In 1999, Collette established that based on molecular and morphological considerations, they are in fact distinct species. The genus Thunnus is further classified into two subgenera, Thunnus, and Thunnus, the Thunnini tribe also includes seven additional species of tuna across four genera. They are, The tuna is a sleek and streamlined fish and it has two closely spaced dorsal fins on its back, The first is depressible – it can be laid down, flush, in a groove that runs along its back. Seven to ten yellow finlets run from the fins to the tail. The caudal peduncle, to which the tail is attached, is quite thin, the tunas dorsal side is generally a metallic dark blue, while the ventral side, or underside, is silvery or whitish, for camouflage. Thunnus are widely but sparsely distributed throughout the oceans of the world, generally in tropical, all tunas are able to maintain the temperature of certain parts of their body above the temperature of ambient seawater. For example, bluefin can maintain a body temperature of 25–33 °C. However, unlike typical endothermic creatures such as mammals and birds, tunas achieve endothermy by conserving the heat generated through normal metabolism. In all tunas, the heart operates at ambient temperature, as it receives cooled blood, also unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red myotomal muscles derive their color from myoglobin, an oxygen-binding molecule, the oxygen-rich blood further enables energy delivery to their muscles. For powerful swimming animals like dolphins and tuna, cavitation may be detrimental, even if they have the power to swim faster, dolphins may have to restrict their speed, because collapsing cavitation bubbles on their tail are too painful
Tuna
Tuna
–
Tuna
Tuna
–
Relative sizes of various tunas, with the
Atlantic bluefin tuna (top) at about 8 ft (2.4 m) in this sample
Tuna
–
Tuna being weighed on Greek quay-side
9.
Forage fish
–
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small pelagic fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the chain on plankton. They include particularly fishes of the family Clupeidae, but also small fish, including halfbeaks, silversides, smelt such as capelin. Forage fish compensate for their size by forming schools. Some swim in synchronised grids with their mouths open so they can efficiently filter plankton and these schools can become immense shoals which move along coastlines and migrate across open oceans. The shoals are concentrated fuel resources for the marine predators. The ocean primary producers, mainly contained in plankton, produce energy from the sun and are the raw fuel for the ocean food webs. Forage fish transfer this energy by eating the plankton and becoming food themselves for the top predators, in this way, forage fish occupy the central positions in ocean and lake food webs. The fishing industry catches forage fish primarily for feeding to farmed animals, some fisheries scientists are expressing concern that this will affect the populations of predator fish that depend on them. Herrings are a preeminent forage fish, often marketed as sardines or pilchards, the term “forage fish” is a term used in fisheries, and is applied also to forage species that are not true fish, but play a significant role as prey for predators. Thus invertebrates such as squid and shrimp are also referred to as forage fish, even the tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill, small enough to be eaten by other forage fish, yet large enough to eat the same zooplankton as forage fish, are often classified as forage fish. Forage fish utilise the biomass of copepods, mysids and krill in the zone to become the dominant converters of the enormous ocean production of zooplankton. They are, in turn, central prey items for higher trophic levels, Forage fish may have achieved their dominance because of the way they live in huge, and often extremely fast cruising schools. Though forage fish are abundant, there are few species. There are more species of primary producers and apex predators in the ocean there are forage fish. Forage fish occupy central positions in the food webs. The position that a fish occupies in a web is called its trophic level
Forage fish
–
These small
goldband fusiliers are typical forage fish. They swim in large schools for protection from larger predators.
Forage fish
–
Ocean forage fish
Forage fish
Forage fish
10.
Anchovy
–
An anchovy is a small, common salt-water forage fish of the family Engraulidae. The 144 species are placed in 17 genera, they are found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and in the Black Sea, Anchovies are usually classified as oily fish. Anchovies are small, green fish with blue reflections due to a longitudinal stripe that runs from the base of the caudal fin. They range from 2 to 40 cm in length. The snout is blunt with tiny, sharp teeth in both jaws, the snout contains a unique rostral organ, believed to be sensory in nature, although its exact function is unknown. The mouth is larger than that of herrings and silversides, two fish which anchovies closely resemble in other respects, the anchovy eats plankton and recently hatched fish. Anchovies are found in scattered areas throughout the oceans, but are concentrated in temperate waters. They are generally accepting of a wide range of temperatures. Large schools can be found in shallow, brackish areas with muddy bottoms, as in estuaries and they are abundant in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Alboran Sea, Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. The species is caught along the coasts of Crete, Greece, Sicily, Italy, France, Turkey. They are also found on the coast of northern Africa, the range of the species also extends along the Atlantic coast of Europe to the south of Norway. Spawning occurs between October and March, but not in water colder than 12 °C, the anchovy appears to spawn at least 100 km from the shore, near the surface of the water. The anchovy is a significant food source for almost every predatory fish in its environment, including the California halibut, rock fish, yellowtail, shark, chinook, and coho salmon. It is also important to marine mammals and birds, for example, breeding success of California brown pelicans. Anchovies, like most clupeoids, are filter-feeders that open their mouths as they swim, as water passes through the mouth and out the gills, food particles are sieved by gill rakers and transferred into the esophagus. * Type species On average, the Turkish commercial fishing fleet catches around 300,000 tons per year, the largest catch is in November and December. The Peruvian anchovy fishery is one of the largest in the world, in 1973 it collapsed catastrophically due to the combined effects of overfishing and El Niño and did not recover fully for two decades. A traditional method of processing and preserving anchovies is to gut and salt them in brine, allow them to mature and this results in a characteristic strong flavor and the flesh turns deep grey
Anchovy
–
Anchovies
Anchovy
–
European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus
Anchovy
Anchovy
–
Still Life with Anchovies, 1972,
Antonio Sicurezza
11.
Herring
–
Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family Clupeidae. Herring often move in schools around fishing banks and near the coast. Three species of Clupea are recognised, and provide about 90% of all captured in fisheries. Most abundant of all is the Atlantic herring, providing half of all herring capture. Fishes called herring are found in India, in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean. Herring played a role in the history of marine fisheries in Europe. These oily fish also have a history as an important food fish. A number of different species, most belonging to the family Clupeidae, are referred to as herrings. The origins of the herring is somewhat unclear, though it may derive from the Old High German heri meaning a host, multitude. The type genus of the herring family Clupeidae is Clupea, Clupea contains three species, the Atlantic herring found in the north Atlantic, the Pacific herring found in the north Pacific, and the Araucanian herring found off the coast of Chile. Subspecific divisions have been suggested for both the Atlantic and Pacific herrings, but their biological basis remain unclear, in addition, a number of related species, all in the family Clupeidae, are commonly referred to as herrings. The table immediately below includes those members of the Clupeidae family referred to by FishBase as herrings which have been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are also a number of other species called herrings, which may be related to clupeids or just share some characteristics of herrings. Just which of these species are called herrings can vary with locality, some examples, The species of Clupea belong to the larger family Clupeidae, which comprises some 200 species that share similar features. These silvery-coloured fish have a dorsal fin, which is soft. They have no lateral line and have a lower jaw. At least one stock of Atlantic herring spawns in every month of the year, each spawns at a different time and place. Greenland populations spawn in 0–5 metres of water while North Sea herrings spawn at up to 200 metres in autumn
Herring
–
The
Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus
Herring
–
Global commercial capture of herrings in million tonnes reported by the
FAO 1950–2010
Herring
Herring
–
Clupea pallasii, the Pacific herring
12.
Menhaden
–
Menhaden, also known as mossbunker and bunker, are forage fish of the genera Brevoortia and Ethmidium, two genera of marine fish in the family Clupeidae. Menhaden is a blend of poghaden and an Algonquian word akin to Narragansett munnawhatteaûg, derived from munnohquohteau ‘he fertilizes’ and it is generally thought that Pilgrims were advised by Tisquantum to plant menhaden with their crops. Menhaden are flat, have soft flesh, and a forked tail. They rarely exceed 15 inches in length, and have a weight range. Gulf menhaden and Atlantic menhaden are small oily-fleshed fish, bright silver and they tend to have larger scales than Yellowfin menhaden and Finescale menhaden. In addition, Yellowfin menhaden tail rays are a yellow in contrast to those of the Atlantic menhaden. Recent taxonomic work using DNA comparisons have organized the North American menhadens into large-scaled and small-scaled designations, Menhaden have two main sources of food, phytoplankton and zooplankton. A menhaden’s diet varies considerably over the course of its lifetime, the smallest menhaden, typically those under one year old, eat primarily phytoplankton. After that age, adult menhaden gradually shift to a diet comprised almost exclusively of zooplankton, Menhaden are omnivorous filter feeders, feeding by straining plankton and algae from water. Along with oysters, which water on the sea bed, menhaden play a key role in the food chain in estuaries. Atlantic menhaden are an important link between plankton and upper level predators, because of their filter feeding abilities, menhaden consume and redistribute a significant amount of energy within and between Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries, and the coastal ocean. Because they play this role, and their abundance, menhaden are a prey species for many predatory fish, such as striped bass, bluefish, mackerel, flounder, tuna, drums. They are also an important food source for many birds, including egrets, ospreys, seagulls, northern gannets, pelicans. In 2012 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission declared that the Atlantic menhaden was depleted due to overfishing, the decision was driven by issues with water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and failing efforts to re-introduce predator species, due to lack of menhaden on which they could feed. Menhaden are not used directly for food and they are processed into fish oil and fish meal that are used as food ingredients, animal feed, and dietary supplements. It has a high fat content. Fish oil made from menhaden also is used as a raw material for such as lipstick. According to James Kirkley of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the first is known as a reduction fishery
Menhaden
–
Gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus
Menhaden
–
Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus
Menhaden
–
Pacific menhaden, Ethmidium maculatum
Menhaden
13.
Sardine
–
Sardine and pilchard are common names used to refer to various small, oily fish within the herring family of Clupeidae. The term sardine was first used in English during the early 15th century and may come from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the terms sardine and pilchard are not precise, and what is meant depends on the region. The United Kingdoms Sea Fish Industry Authority, for example, classifies sardines as young pilchards, one criterion suggests fish shorter in length than 15 cm are sardines, and larger fish are pilchards. Typically, sardines are caught with encircling nets, particularly purse seines, many modifications of encircling nets are used, including traps or weirs. The latter are stationary enclosures composed of stakes into which schools of sardines are diverted as they swim along the coast, the fish are caught mainly at night, when they approach the surface to feed on plankton. After harvesting, the fish are submerged in brine while they are transported to shore, sardines are commercially fished for a variety of uses, for bait, for immediate consumption, for drying, salting, or smoking, and for reduction into fish meal or oil. The chief use of sardines is for consumption, but fish meal is used as animal feed, while sardine oil has many uses, including the manufacture of paint, varnish. Sardines are commonly consumed by human beings, fresh sardines are often grilled, pickled or smoked, or preserved in cans. Sardines are rich in vitamins and minerals, a small serving of sardines once a day can provide 13 percent of vitamin B2, roughly one-quarter of niacin, and about 150 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B12. All B vitamins help to support proper nervous system function and are used for energy metabolism, also, sardines are high in the major minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and some trace minerals including iron and selenium. Sardines are also a source of marine omega-3 fatty acids. Recent studies suggest that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimers disease. These fatty acids can also lower blood sugar levels and they are also a good source of vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, and protein. Because they are low in the chain, sardines are very low in contaminants such as mercury. Pilchard fishing and processing became an industry in Cornwall from around 1750 to around 1880. Catches varied from year to year and, in 1871 the catch was 47,000 hogsheads while in 1877 only 9,477 hogsheads, a hogshead contained 2,300 to 4,000 pilchards and, when filled with pressed pilchards, weighed 476 lbs. The pilchards were exported to Roman Catholic countries such as Italy. The chief market for the oil was Bristol where it is used on machinery, as of 2007, however, stocks are improving
Sardine
–
Sardines are small
epipelagic fish that sometimes
migrate along the coast in
large schools. They are an important
forage fish for larger forms of marine life.
Sardine
Sardine
–
The
European pilchard, Sardina pilchardus
Sardine
–
In the 1980s the
South American pilchard, Sardinops sagax, was the most intensively fished species of sardine. Some major
stocks declined precipitously in the 1990s (see chart below).
14.
Shad
–
The Alosinae, or the shads, are a subfamily of fishes in the herring family Clupeidae. The subfamily comprises seven genera worldwide, and about 30 species, the shads are pelagic schooling fish, of which many are anadromous or even landlocked. Several species are of importance, e. g. in the genus Alosa, Brevoortia. The Shad Foundation Shad Planking, a Virginia political gathering featuring the consumption of shad
Shad
–
Alosinae
15.
Sprat
–
A sprat is the common name applied to a group of forage fish belonging to the genus Sprattus in the family Clupeidae. The term is applied to a number of other small sprat-like forage fish. Like most forage fishes, sprats are highly active small oily fish and they travel in large schools with other fish and swim continuously throughout the day. They are also recognized for their value as they contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats. Sprats are sometimes passed for other fish, products sold as having been prepared from anchovies and sardines are sometimes prepared from sprats and they are known for their smooth flavour and are easy to mistake for baby sardines. True sprats belong to the genus Sprattus in the family Clupeidae, * Type species The term is also commonly applied to a number of other small sprat-like forage fish which share characteristics of the true sprat. Apart from the true sprats, FishBase list another 48 species whose common names ends with sprat, the development of young larval sprat and reproductive success of the sprat have been largely influenced by environmental factors. Some of these factors that are affecting the sprat can be seen in the Baltic Sea, where specific gravity, water temperature, depth, and other such factors play a role in the success of the sprat. The amount of sprat over the last two decades has fluctuated due primarily to availability of zooplankton, a food source. Although the overall survival rates of the sprat decreased in the late 1980s and early 1990s, recent studies suggesting that there is a progression in the reproductive success of the sprat acknowledge that there has been a significant increase in spawning stock biomass. The metabolic rate of the sprat is highly influenced by factors such as water temperature. Several related fish such as the Atlantic Herring have a lower metabolic rate than that of the sprat. Fish of the different species of sprat are found in parts of the world including New Zealand, Australia. By far, the most highly studied location where the sprat, most commonly Sprattus sprattus, resides is the Baltic Sea, the Baltic Sea provides the sprat with a highly diverse environment, with spatial and temporal potential allowing for successful reproduction. One of the most well-known locations in the Baltic Sea where they forage for their food is the Bornholm Basin, although the Baltic Sea has undergone several ecological changes during the last two decades, the sprat has dramatically increased in population. In the Baltic Sea, cod, herring, and sprat are considered the most important species, cod is the top predator while the herring and sprat are recognized primarily as prey. This has been proven by many studies that analyze the contents of such fish. Although cod primarily feed on adult sprat, sprat tend to feed on cod before they have fully developed
Sprat
–
Salted sprats (Sprattus sprattus) at
Odessa bazaar, Ukraine
Sprat
Sprat
–
The
European sprat, Sprattus sprattus, is the
type species for the genus
Sprattus.
Sprat
–
A
gannet begins its take off run. It takes a lot of "fuel" to achieve take off for this huge bird. This can be provided for by sprats and other forage fish which are abundant in the summer months.
16.
Demersal fish
–
Demersal fish live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes. They occupy the sea floors and lake beds, which usually consist of mud, sand, in coastal waters they are found on or near the continental shelf, and in deep waters they are found on or near the continental slope or along the continental rise. They are not generally found in the deepest waters, such as abyssal depths or on the abyssal plain, the word demersal comes from the Latin demergere, which means to sink. They can be contrasted with fish which live and feed away from the bottom in the open water column. Demersal fish fillets contain little fish oil, whereas pelagic fish can contain up to 30 percent. Demersal fish can be divided into two types, strictly benthic fish which can rest on the sea floor, and benthopelagic fish which can float in the water column just above the sea floor. As with other bottom feeders, a mechanism to deal with substrate is often necessary, with demersal fish the sand is usually pumped out of the mouth through the gill slit. Most demersal fish exhibit a ventral region so as to more easily rest their body on the substrate. The exception may be the flatfish, which are laterally depressed, also, many exhibit what is termed an inferior mouth, which means that the mouth is pointed downwards, this is beneficial as their food is often going to be below them in the substrate. Those bottom feeders with upward-pointing mouths, such as stargazers, tend to seize swimming prey, benthic fish, sometimes called groundfish, are denser than water, so they can rest on the sea floor. They either lie-and-wait as ambush predators, maybe covering themselves with sand or otherwise camouflaging themselves, benthic fish which can bury themselves include dragonets, flatfish and stingrays. Flatfish are an order of ray-finned benthic fishes which lie flat on the ocean floor, examples are flounder, sole, turbot, plaice, and halibut. The adult fish of many species have eyes on one side of the head. When the fish hatches, one eye is located on side of its head. But as the fish grows from the stage, one eye migrates to the other side of the body as a process of metamorphosis. The flatfish then changes its habits, and camouflages itself by lying on the bottom of the floor with both eyes facing upwards. The side on which the eye migrates depends on the species, flounder ambush their prey, feeding at soft muddy area of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks, artificial and coral reefs. Their diet consists mainly of fish spawn, crustaceans, polychaetes, the great hammerhead swings its head in broad angles over the sea floor to pick up the electrical signatures of stingrays buried in the sand
Demersal fish
–
Bluespotted ribbontail ray resting on the
seafloor
Demersal fish
Demersal fish
–
Rhinogobius flumineus swim on the bed of
rivers
Demersal fish
–
Benthic
flatfish and benthopelagic
cod on a shore –
Jan van Kessel senior, 1626–1679
17.
Cod
–
Cod is the common name for the genus Gadus of demersal fishes, belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the name for a number of other fish species. Gadus morhua was named by Linnaeus in 1758, Cod is popular as a food with a mild flavour and a dense, flaky, white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, young Atlantic cod or haddock prepared in strips for cooking is called scrod. In the United Kingdom, Atlantic cod is one of the most common ingredients in fish and chips, along with haddock, at various times in the past, taxonomists included many species in the genus Gadus. Most of these are now classified in other genera, or have been recognized as simply forms of one of three species. All these species have a number of names, most of them ending with the word cod, whereas other species. However, many other, unrelated species also have names ending with cod. The usage often changes with different localities and at different times, three species in the Gadus genus are currently called cod, Cod forms part of the common name of many other fish no longer classified in the genus Gadus. The tadpole cod family has now placed in Gadidae. Gadiformes include, Some fish have common names derived from cod, such as codling, Some fish commonly known as cod are unrelated to Gadus. Part of this confusion is market-driven. Severely shrunken Atlantic cod stocks have led to the marketing of cod replacements using culinary names of the form x cod, the common names for the following species have become well established, note that all inhabit the Southern Hemisphere. Most are better known as groupers, and belong to the family Serranidae, Some fish that do not have cod in their names are sometimes sold as cod. Haddock and whiting belong to the family, the Gadidae. Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus Whiting Merlangius merlangus Cods of the genus Gadus have three rounded dorsal and two anal fins, the pelvic fins are small, with the first ray extended, and are set under the gill cover, in front of the pectoral fins. The upper jaw extends over the jaw, which has a well-developed chin barbel. The eyes are medium-sized, approximately the same as the length of the chin barbel, Cod have a distinct white lateral line running from the gill slit above the pectoral fin, to the base of the caudal or tail fin
Cod
–
Atlantic cod
Cod
Cod
–
The
Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua
Cod
–
A fish with its gills infested with two
cod worms
18.
Flatfish
–
A flatfish is a member of the order Pleuronectiformes of ray-finned demersal fishes, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through. Some species face their left sides upward, some face their right sides upward, many important food fish are in this order, including the flounders, soles, turbot, plaice, and halibut. Some flatfish can camouflage themselves on the ocean floor. Over 700 species are in the 11 families, the largest families are Bothidae, Cynoglossidae, Paralichthyidae, Pleuronectidae, and Soleidae, with more than 100 species each. Some families are the results of relatively recent splits, for example, the Achiridae were classified as a subfamily of Soleidae in the past, and the Samaridae were considered a subfamily of the Pleuronectidae. The Pleuronectidae may be split further still, as some authorities elevate Paralichthodinae, Poecilopsettinae, the taxonomy of some groups is in need of a review, as the last monograph covering the entire order was John Roxborough Normans Monograph of the Flatfishes published in 1934. New species are described with some regularity and undescribed species likely remain, hybrids are well known in flatfishes. The Pleuronectidae, of fishes, have the largest number of reported hybrids. Two of the most famous intergeneric hybrids are between the European plaice and European flounder in the Baltic Sea, and between the English sole and starry flounder in Puget Sound. The offspring of the species pair is popularly known as the hybrid sole and was initially believed to be a valid species in its own right. Flatfishes are found in worldwide, ranging from the Arctic, through the tropics. Most species are found in depths between 0 and 500 m, but a few have been recorded from depths in excess of 1,500 m, none have been confirmed from the abyssal or hadal zones. Among the deepwater species, Symphurus thermophilus lives in congregating around ponds of sulphur at hydrothermal vents on the seafloor, no other flatfish is known from hydrothermal vents. Many species will enter brackish or fresh water, and a number of soles. The most obvious characteristic of the flatfish is its asymmetry, with both eyes lying on the side of the head in the adult fish. In some families, the eyes are usually on the side of the body. The primitive spiny turbots include equal numbers of right- and left-sided individuals, other distinguishing features of the order are the presence of protrusible eyes, another adaptation to living on the seabed, and the extension of the dorsal fin onto the head
Flatfish
Flatfish
Flatfish
–
Flatfish are asymmetrical, with both eyes lying on the same side of the head
Flatfish
19.
Pollock
–
Pollock is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic marine fish in the genus Pollachius. Pollachius pollachius is referred to as pollock in both North America and the United Kingdom, while Pollachius virens today is known as coley in the British Isles. Other names for P. pollachius include the Atlantic pollock, European pollock, lieu jaune, the currently recognized species in this genus are, P. pollachius P. virens Both species can grow to 105 centimetres and can weigh up to 21 kilograms. P. virens has a defined, silvery lateral line running down the sides. Above the lateral line, the color is a greenish black, the belly is white, while P. pollachius has a distinctly crooked lateral line, grayish to golden belly, and a dark brown back. P. pollachius also has a strong underbite and it can be found in water up to 180 metres deep over rocks, and anywhere in the water column. One member of the genus Gadus is also referred to as Pollock. While related to the above pollock species, they are not members of the genus Pollachius, Alaska pollock generally spawn in late winter and early spring in the southeastern Bering Sea. The Alaska pollock is a significant part of the fishery in the Gulf of Alaska. Atlantic pollock is considered to be a whitefish, although it is a fairly strongly flavored one. Traditionally a popular source of food in countries, such as Norway, in the United Kingdom it has previously been largely consumed as a cheaper and versatile alternative to cod. However, in recent years, pollock has become popular due to overfishing of cod. It can now be found in most supermarkets as fresh fillets or prepared freezer items, for example, it is used minced in fish fingers or as an ingredient in imitation crab meat. Because of its gray color, pollock is often prepared, as in Norway, as fried fish balls, or if juvenile sized, breaded with oatmeal and fried. Year-old fish are split, salted, and dried over a peat hearth in Orkney. The fish can also be salted and smoked and achieve a salmon-like orange color, as is the case in Germany, in Korea, pollock may be repeatedly frozen and defrosted to create hwangtae, half-dried to create ko-da-ri, or fully dried and eaten as book-o. In 2009, U. K. supermarket Sainsburys briefly renamed pollock colin in a bid to boost ecofriendly sales of the fish as an alternative to cod. Sainsburys, which said the new name was derived from the French for cooked pollock, launched the product under the banner Colin, froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds
Pollock
–
Pollock
Pollock
Pollock
–
True cod
Pollock
20.
Batoidea
–
Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fish commonly known as rays. They and their relatives, the sharks, comprise the subclass Elasmobranchii. Rays are the largest group of fishes, with well over 600 species in 26 families. Rays are distinguished by their bodies, enlarged pectoral fins that are fused to the head. Batoids are flat-bodied, and, like sharks, are marine fish, meaning they have a boneless skeleton made of a tough. Most batoids have five ventral slot-like body openings called gill slits that lead from the gills, batoid gill slits lie under the pectoral fins on the underside, whereas a sharks are on the sides of the head. Most batoids have a flat, disk-like body, with the exception of the guitarfishes and sawfishes, many species of batoid have developed their pectoral fins into broad flat wing-like appendages. The eyes and spiracles are located on top of the head, Batoids have a ventrally located mouth and can considerably protrude their upper jaw away from the cranium to capture prey. The jaws have euhyostylic type suspension, which relies completely on the hyomandibular cartilages for support, bottom-dwelling batoids breathe by taking water in through the spiracles, rather than through the mouth as most fishes do, and passing it outward through the gills. Batoids reproduce in a number of ways, as is characteristic of elasmobranchs, batoids undergo internal fertilisation. All skates and some rays are oviparous while other rays are ovoviviparous, meaning that they give birth to young which develop in a womb but without involvement of a placenta. The eggs of oviparous skates are laid in egg cases that are commonly known as mermaids purses. Most species live on the sea floor, in a variety of geographical regions — mainly in coastal waters, most batoids have a cosmopolitan distribution, preferring tropical and subtropical marine environments, although there are temperate and cold-water species. Only a few species, like manta rays, live in the open sea, most batoids have developed heavy, rounded teeth for crushing the shells of bottom-dwelling species such as snails, clams, oysters, crustaceans, and some fish, depending on the species. The classification of batoids is currently undergoing revision, however, molecular evidence refutes the hypothesis that skates, nelsons 2006 Fishes of the World recognizes four orders. The Mesozoic Sclerorhynchoidea are basal or incertae sedis, they show features of the Rajiformes but have snouts resembling those of sawfishes, Rays are basically flattened sharks, adapted for feeding on the bottom. Guitarfish are somewhat between sharks and rays, and show characteristics of both, list of threatened rays Shark references. Database of bibliography of living/fossil sharks and rays with more than 15.000 listed papers, martin, R Aidan, Batoids, Sawfishes, Guitarfishes, Electric Rays, Skates, and Sting Rays, Elasmo research, ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research
Batoidea
Batoidea
–
Spotted eagle ray, Aetobatus narinari
Batoidea
–
Myliobatiformes
Batoidea
–
Rajiformes
21.
Carp
–
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, the third anterior-most pair of ribs is in contact with the extension of the labyrinth and the posterior with the swim bladder. Most cypriniformes have scales and teeth on the pharyngeal bones which may be modified in relation to the diet. Tribolodon is the only cyprinid genus which tolerates salt water, several species move into brackish water but return to fresh water to spawn. All of the other cypriniformes live in waters and have a wide geographical range. Some consider all cyprinid fishes carp, and the family Cyprinidae itself is known as the carp family. Carp have long been an important food fish to humans, several species such as the various goldfish breeds and the domesticated common carp variety known as koi have been popular ornamental fishes. As a result, carp have been introduced to various locations, several species of carp are listed as invasive species by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and, worldwide, large sums of money are spent on carp control. At least some species of carp are able to survive for months with no oxygen by metabolizing glycogen to form ethanol. Carp are variable in terms of angling value, in Europe, even when not fished for food, they are eagerly sought by anglers, being considered highly prized coarse fish that are difficult to hook. The UK has a thriving carp angling market, in the United States, carp are also classified as a rough fish, as well as damaging to naturalized exotic species, but with sporting qualities. Many states departments of natural resources are beginning to view the carp as a fish instead of a maligned pest. Various species of carp have been domesticated and reared as food fish across Europe and these various species appear to have been domesticated independently, as the various domesticated carp species are native to different parts of Eurasia. Aquaculture has been pursued in China for at least 2,400 years, a tract by Fan Li in the fifth century BC details many of the ways carp were raised in ponds. The common carp, Cyprinus carpio, is originally from Central Europe, several carp species were domesticated in East Asia. Carp that are originally from South Asia, for example catla, rohu and their hardiness and adaptability have allowed domesticated species to be propagated all around the world. Although the carp was an important aquatic food item, as fish species have become readily available for the table. Demand has declined, partly due to the appearance of more desirable fish such as trout and salmon through intensive farming
Carp
–
Common carp, Cyprinus carpio
Carp
Carp
–
An
angler with 17 kg (37 lb)
mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Carp
–
Black carp
22.
Tilapia
–
Tilapia is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes, historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the Middle East, and they are of increasing importance in aquaculture and aquaponics. Tilapia is the fourth most consumed fish in the United States dating back to 2002, the popularity of tilapia came about due to its cheap price, easy preparation, and its mild taste. Tilapia was a symbol of rebirth in Egyptian art, and was in addition associated with Hathor and it was also said to accompany and protect the sun god on his daily journey across the sky. Tilapia were one of the three types of fish caught in Biblical times from the Sea of Galilee. At that time they were called Amnoon, in Arabic the fish is called Musht, which means a comb, as resembled by its backfin or commonly now as St. Peters fish. The name St. Peters fish comes from the story in the Gospel of Matthew about the apostle Peter catching a fish that carried a coin in its mouth and these species have been the target of small-scale artisanal fisheries in the area for thousands of years. The common name tilapia is based on the name of the cichlid genus Tilapia, which is itself a latinisation of thiape, scottish zoologist Andrew Smith named the genus in 1840. Tilapia typically have laterally compressed, deep bodies, like other cichlids, their lower pharyngeal bones are fused into a single tooth-bearing structure. This means they are efficient feeders that can capture and process a variety of food items. Their mouths are protrusible, usually bordered with wide and often swollen lips, typically tilapia have a long dorsal fin, and a lateral line which often breaks towards the end of the dorsal fin, and starts again two or three rows of scales below. Some Nile tilapia can grow as long as two feet, other than their temperature sensitivity, tilapia exist in or can adapt to a very wide range of conditions. One extreme example is the Salton Sea, where tilapia introduced when the water was brackish now live in saltwater so salty that it kills marine fish, Tilapia are also known to be a mouth breeding species. Mouth breeding means they carry the eggs and young fish in their mouths for several days after the yolk sac is absorbed. Tilapia as a name has been applied to various cichlids from three distinct genera, Oreochromis, Sarotherodon and Tilapia. The members of the two genera used to belong to the genus Tilapia but have since been split off into their own genera. However, particular species within are still commonly called tilapia regardless of the change in their actual taxonomic nomenclature, the species remaining in Tilapia in particular still seem to be a paraphyletic assemblage. Tilapia has been used as controls for certain aquatic plant problems
Tilapia
–
Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
Tilapia
–
The
Tomb of Nakht, 1500 BC, contains a tilapia hieroglyph just above the head of the central figure.
Tilapia
Tilapia
23.
Genus
–
A genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms in biology. In the hierarchy of classification, genus comes above species. In binomial nomenclature, the name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus. Felis catus and Felis silvestris are two species within the genus Felis, Felis is a genus within the family Felidae. The composition of a genus is determined by a taxonomist, the standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. Moreover, genera should be composed of units of the same kind as other genera. The term comes from the Latin genus, a noun form cognate with gignere, linnaeus popularized its use in his 1753 Species Plantarum, but the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort is considered the founder of the modern concept of genera. The scientific name of a genus may be called the name or generic epithet. It plays a role in binomial nomenclature, the system of naming organisms. The rules for the names of organisms are laid down in the Nomenclature Codes. The standard way of scientifically describing species and other lower-ranked taxa is by binomial nomenclature, the generic name forms its first half. For example, the gray wolfs binomial name is Canis lupus, with Canis being the name shared by the wolfs close relatives. The specific name is written in lower-case and may be followed by names in zoology or a variety of infraspecific names in botany. Especially with these names, when the generic name is known from context. Because animals are typically only grouped within subspecies, it is written as a trinomen with a third name. Dog breeds, meanwhile, are not scientifically distinguished, there are several divisions of plant species and therefore their infraspecific names generally include contractions explaining the relation. For example, the genus Hibiscus includes hundreds of other species apart from the Rose of Sharon or common garden hibiscus, Rose of Sharon doesnt have subspecies but has cultivars that carry desired traits, such as the bright white H. syriaca Diana. Hawaiian hibiscus, meanwhile, includes several separate species, since not all botanists agree on the divisions or names between species, it is common to specify the source of the name using author abbreviations
Genus
–
Number of reptile genera with a given number of species. Most genera have only one or a few species but a few may have hundreds. Based on data from the
Reptile Database (as of May 2015).
24.
Gadus
–
Gadus is a genus of demersal fish in the family Gadidae, commonly known as cod, although there are additional cod species in other genera. The best known member of the genus is the Atlantic cod, until recently, three species in the genus were recognized. Modern taxonomy also includes a one, the Alaska pollock. Furthermore, Greenland cod is no longer considered a distinct species but rather a subspecies of Pacific cod
Gadus
–
Gadus
25.
Family (biology)
–
In biological classification, family is one of the eight major taxonomic ranks, it is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks above the rank of genus. In vernacular usage, a family may be named one of its common members, for example, walnuts and hickory trees belong to the family Juglandaceae. What does or does not belong to a family—or whether a family should be recognized at all—are proposed and determined by practicing taxonomists. There are no rules for describing or recognizing a family. Taxonomists often take different positions about descriptions of taxa, and there may be no broad consensus across the community for some time. Some described taxa are accepted broadly and quickly, but others only rarely, if at all, the naming of families is codified by various international codes. In zoological nomenclature, the names of animals end with the suffix -idae. The concept of rank at time was not yet settled, and in the preface to the Prodromus Magnol spoke of uniting his families into larger genera. Carolus Linnaeus used the word familia in his Philosophia botanica to denote groups of plants, trees, herbs, ferns, palms. He used this term only in the section of the book. In zoology, the family as an intermediate between order and genus was introduced by Pierre André Latreille in his Précis des caractères génériques des insectes. He used families in some but not in all his orders of insects, families can be used for evolutionary, palaeontological and generic studies because they are more stable than lower taxonomic levels such as genera and species
Family (biology)
–
The hierarchy of
biological classification 's eight major
taxonomic ranks. An
order contains one or more families. Intermediate minor rankings are not shown.
26.
Gadidae
–
The Gadidae are a family of marine fish, included in the order Gadiformes, known as the cods, codfishes or true cods. It contains several commercially important fishes, including the cod, haddock, whiting, most gadid species are found in temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere, but several range into subtropical, Subarctic and Arctic oceans, and a single is found in the Southern Hemisphere. They are generally medium-sized fish, and are distinguished by the presence of three dorsal fins on the back and two fins on the underside. Most species have barbels on their chins, which they use while browsing on the sea floor, gadids are carnivorous, feeding on smaller fish and crustaceans. Gadids are highly prolific, producing several million eggs at each spawning and this contributes to their high population numbers, which, in turn, makes commercial fishing relatively easy. Concepts differ about the contents of the family Gadidae, the system followed by FishBase includes a dozen genera. Alternatively, fishes in the current Lotidae and Phycidae have also included in Gadidae. Diseases and parasites in cod Media related to Gadidae at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Gadidae at Wikispecies
Gadidae
27.
Alaska pollock
–
The Alaska pollock or walleye pollock is a marine fish species of the cod family Gadidae. It is a schooling fish widely distributed in the North Pacific with largest concentrations found in the eastern Bering Sea. While belonging to the family as the Atlantic pollock, the Alaska pollock is not a member of the same Pollachius genus. Furthermore, Norwegian pollock, a fish of Norwegian waters, is likely the same species as the Alaska pollock. The speckled colouring of Alaska pollock makes it difficult for predators to see them when they are near sandy ocean floors. They are a relatively fast-growing and short-lived species, currently representing a major component of the Bering Sea ecosystem. It has been found that catches of Alaska pollock go up three years after stormy summers, the storms stir up nutrients, and this results in phytoplankton being plentiful for longer, which in turn allows more pollock hatchlings to survive. The Alaska pollock has well-developed drumming muscles that the use to produce sounds during courtship. The primary factor in determining the behavior of the Alaskan pollock is age. Young pollocks can be divided into two sub-groups, with lengths below or above 60 mm, both groups mainly feed on copepods. A limited supply of copepods may lead to food depletion, however, the larger group is also capable of foraging for euphausiids and is able to diversify its food sources. Therefore, food depletion has an effect on smaller pollocks. The variation in size of each subgroup also affects seasonal foraging behavior, during the winter, when food is scarce, foraging can be costly due to the fact that longer hunting time increases the risk of meeting a predator. To maximize their chances of survival, the group increases their calorie intake to gain weight in autumn. Lastly, Alaskan pollock exhibit diel vertical migration, following the movement of their food. Although pollocks exhibit vertical movement during the day, their average depth changes following the seasons, originally, the change in depth was attributed to the amount of light or the ambient water temperature, but currently, it is exclusively connected to the movement of food species. In August, when food is available near the surface, pollocks will be found at lower depths. The Alaska pollock has been said to be the largest remaining source of fish in the world
Alaska pollock
–
Pollock larva
Alaska pollock
–
Alaska pollock
Alaska pollock
–
Juvenile pollock
Alaska pollock
–
Adult pollock sometimes eat juvenile pollock
28.
North Atlantic
–
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the worlds oceans with a total area of about 106,460,000 square kilometres. It covers approximately 20 percent of the Earths surface and about 29 percent of its surface area. It separates the Old World from the New World, the Atlantic Ocean occupies an elongated, S-shaped basin extending longitudinally between Eurasia and Africa to the east, and the Americas to the west. The Equatorial Counter Current subdivides it into the North Atlantic Ocean, in contrast, the term Atlantic originally referred specifically to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and the sea off the Strait of Gibraltar and the North African coast. The Greek word thalassa has been reused by scientists for the huge Panthalassa ocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea hundreds of years ago. The term Aethiopian Ocean, derived from Ancient Ethiopia, was applied to the Southern Atlantic as late as the mid-19th century, many Irish or British people refer to the United States and Canada as across the pond, and vice versa. The Black Atlantic refers to the role of ocean in shaping black peoples history. Irish migration to the US is meant when the term The Green Atlantic is used, the term Red Atlantic has been used in reference to the Marxian concept of an Atlantic working class, as well as to the Atlantic experience of indigenous Americans. Correspondingly, the extent and number of oceans and seas varies, the Atlantic Ocean is bounded on the west by North and South America. It connects to the Arctic Ocean through the Denmark Strait, Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea, to the east, the boundaries of the ocean proper are Europe, the Strait of Gibraltar and Africa. In the southeast, the Atlantic merges into the Indian Ocean, the 20° East meridian, running south from Cape Agulhas to Antarctica defines its border. In the 1953 definition it extends south to Antarctica, while in later maps it is bounded at the 60° parallel by the Southern Ocean, the Atlantic has irregular coasts indented by numerous bays, gulfs, and seas. Including these marginal seas the coast line of the Atlantic measures 111,866 km compared to 135,663 km for the Pacific. Including its marginal seas, the Atlantic covers an area of 106,460,000 km2 or 23. 5% of the ocean and has a volume of 310,410,900 km3 or 23. 3%. Excluding its marginal seas, the Atlantic covers 81,760,000 km2 and has a volume of 305,811,900 km3, the North Atlantic covers 41,490,000 km2 and the South Atlantic 40,270,000 km2. The average depth is 3,646 m and the maximum depth, the bathymetry of the Atlantic is dominated by a submarine mountain range called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It runs from 87°N or 300 km south of the North Pole to the subantarctic Bouvet Island at 42°S, the MAR divides the Atlantic longitudinally into two halves, in each of which a series of basins are delimited by secondary, transverse ridges. The MAR reaches above 2000 m along most of its length, the MAR is a barrier for bottom water, but at these two transform faults deep water currents can pass from one side to the other
North Atlantic
–
The Atlantic Ocean as seen from the western coast of
Portugal
North Atlantic
–
The Atlantic Ocean, not including
Arctic and
Antarctic regions
North Atlantic
–
The Atlantic Ocean as seen from
Atlantic City, New Jersey.
North Atlantic
–
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina view of the Atlantic Ocean.
29.
Pacific cod
–
The Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Gadidae. It is a fish found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, mainly on the continental shelf and upper slopes. It can grow to a length of a meter or so and is found in large schools and it is an important commercial food species and is also known as gray cod or grey cod, and grayfish or greyfish. Fishing for this species is regulated with quotas being allotted for hook and line fishing, pots and it has three separate dorsal fins, and the catfish-like whiskers on its lower jaw. In appearance, it is similar to the Atlantic cod, may grow up to 1 m and weigh up to 15 kg. It is found in huge schools, molecular genetic analyses strongly suggest that Pacific cod and Greenland cod from Greenland–the Arctic ocean are the same species, G. ogac is then a junior synonym of G. macrocephalus. Nevertheless, ITIS still lists Gadus ogac as a valid name and this change would greatly expand the geographic range of Pacific cod. Today, catches are tightly regulated and the Pacific cod quota is split among fisheries that use hook and line gear, pots, and bottom trawls. The Salish Sea population of Pacific cod is a U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service Species of Concern, froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. Pacific cod-Gadus macrocephalus fishery profiles Status of Pacific cod fisheries, summarised in FisheriesWiki
Pacific cod
–
Pacific cod
larva
Pacific cod
–
Pacific Cod
Pacific cod
–
Young Pacific cod
Pacific cod
–
Adult Pacific cod caught on
jigging gear
Vulnerable[5]
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Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cod". Encyclopædia Britannica. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 632.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "
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