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 .
Dorsal spines (total): 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.: elongated; Cross section: circular.
Behavioural data for Blue whiting is currently being reviewed.
Diet information for Blue whiting is currently being compiled.
Oviparous and gonochorous .
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 150 - 3000 m , usually 300 - 400 m. Temperate; 81°N - 21°N, 82°W - 51°E 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.
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Blue Whiting · Couch's whiting · Poutassou · putassu |
| 🏳️Catalan | bacallaret · lluça · maire |
| 🌍CES | treska modravá |
| 🌍CYM | Swtanod Glas · swtan glas |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Blåhvilling · Sortmund · kulmule |
| 🇩🇪German | Blauer Wittling · Stockfisch |
| 🌍ELL | Προσφυγάκι |
| 🌍EUS | bakalada |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Mustakitaturska |
| 🇫🇷French | Gros poutassou · Merlan bleu · Merlan bleu, Poutassou · Merlan de Paris · Merlus · Nasellu · Patafloues · Poutassou · Tacaud · poutassou, merlan bleu |
| 🌍ISL | Kolmunni |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Melu · Merlu · Potassolo |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | プタスダラ |
| 🌍MLT | Marlozz · Marluzz · Putassu · Stokkafixx |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Blauwe wijting |
| 🌍NNO | blåkviting · kolkjeft · kolmule · blågunnar |
| 🌍NOB | blåhvitting · kolmule · blågunnar · kolkjeft |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Blagunnar · Kolmule · Kolmule blagunnar |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Blekitek · błękitek |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Bacalhau · Lírio · Pichelim · Verdinho · maria-mole |
| 🌍RON | Merlan albastru · Putasu |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Путассу северная · Северная путассу |
| 🌍SLV | Sinji mol |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Bacaladilla · Bacalao · Bacalá · Lirio · Piripi |
| 🌍SQI | Lakuriq · Merluc tripendesh · Tripendesh · merluci blu · merluci tripendësh |
| 🌍SRP | Pucinca · Ugotica · Ugotica pucinska |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Blåvitling · Kolmule · blagunnar |
| 🌍TUR | Bakalyaro · Gourlomata · Mezgit · Mezit · derinsu mezgiti · mavi mezgit baligi |
| 🌍UKR | Путассу північна · Путасу північна |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 小鰭鱈 · 藍鱈 |
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boreogadus poutassou | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Gadus melanostomus | Nilsson | 1855 | Synonym |
| Gadus potassoa | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Gadus poutassou | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Merlangius poutassou | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Merlangus albus | Yarrell | 1841 | Synonym |
| Merlangus communis | Costa | 1844 | Heterotypic |
| Merlangus pertusis | Cocco | 1829 | Synonym |
| Merlangus pertusus | Cocco | 1829 | Synonym |
| Merlangus poutassou | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Merlangus vernalis | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Micromessistius poutassou | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 43 records indexed .
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