Ling
📖 Overview
Occurs mainly on rocky bottoms in fairly deep water . Found more commonly from 100 to 400 m. Feeds on fish (cod, herring, flatfish), lobsters, cephalopods and starfishes. Principal spawning areas are Biscay, slopes west of the British Isles and off the Faeroes and southern Iceland . Marketed fresh, dried or salted and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled and baked .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 75 - 83; Anal soft rays: 58 - 64; Vertebrae: 63 - 65. Upper jaw projecting beyond lower one. Color is reddish brown dorsally, grading to white ventrally. The posterior areas of the vertical fins dark with pale margins. The sides distinctly marbled . Barbel is present in the chin, longer than the diameter of the eye. Black spot in the rear end of the first dorsal fin. Caudal peduncle stout compared to blue ling .: elongated; Cross section: circular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Ling is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Major spawning grounds are located at 200 m depth from the Bay of Biscay to the Gulf of Norway at 100 to 300 m off southern Iceland, and at 50 to 300 m in the Mediterranean Sea. Fecundity may reach 20 to 60 million eggs per female .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 100 - 1000 m , usually 100 - 400 m . Temperate; 75°N - 35°N, 55°W - 44°E Northwest Atlantic: off southern Greenland and Canada.
🌿 Ecology
fish (cod, herring, flatfish), lobsters, cephalopods and starfishes
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Common ling · European ling · Ling [Fish] · drizzie · ling · ling cod · molva · sea pike |
| 🌍BRE | Morleanenn · morlean |
| 🌍CES | mník mořský |
| 🌍CYM | Honosiaid · honos |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig lange · Lange |
| 🇩🇪German | Leng · Lengfisch |
| 🌍ELL | Μουρούνα |
| 🌍FAO | longa |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Molva |
| 🇫🇷French | Elingue · Julienne · Lingue · Lingue bleu · Lingue franche · Lingue franche, Grande lingue · Morue langue · Tutchuela · grande lingue |
| 🌍GLE | An langa · longa |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | északi menyhal |
| 🌍ISL | Langa · Skrokklanga |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Molva |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | クロジマナガダラ |
| 🌍MLT | Lipp |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Leng |
| 🌍NNO | kvitlange · lange |
| 🌍NOB | lange |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Lange · Spillange |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Molwa · molwa pospolita |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Donzela · Lota-costeira · Maruca · juliana |
| 🌍RON | Mihalț de mare |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Мольва · щука морская |
| 🌍SME | lággu |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Barbada · Barruenda · Lengua de bacalá · Lingue · Maruca |
| 🌍SRP | Manjic morski · Mantiz morski |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Långa · Spillånga |
| 🌍TUR | Gelincik |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 魣鱈 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadus molva | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Gadus raptor | Nilsson | 1832 | Synonym |
| Lota mola | Moreau | 1881 | Synonym |
| Molva linnei | Malm | 1877 | Synonym |
| Molva vulgaris | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 33 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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