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🌊 Marine 🌡️ Temperate

Blue whiting

Micromesistius poutassou Risso, 1827
Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou)
Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou)
Max Length
55.5 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
20 yrs
Trophic Level
4.1
Depth
150–3000 m
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
32.00/100
Typical Length
22 cm
Depth Zone
deep-water

📖 Overview

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 .

Scientific Name
Micromesistius poutassou
Authority
Risso, 1827
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Elongated
Max Length
55.5 cm
Lifespan
20 years
Depth Range
150–3000 m
Trophic Level
4.1
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
32.00/100
Migration
Oceanodromous
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

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.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Blue whiting is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Blue whiting is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous
Size at Maturity
15cm TL

Oviparous and gonochorous .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

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.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌑 Deep Water
Migration
Oceanodromous
Trophic Level
4.1±0.3

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00417 × L3.12 (TL)
Max TL
55.5cm
Dorsal Rays
26
Anal Rays
36

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
32.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.1
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Elongated
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Risso, 1827

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

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 Synonyms

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

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 43 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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