Greater forkbeard
📖 Overview
Depth range from 10-800 m and from 300-1047 m in the eastern Ionian Sea . Found over sand and mud bottoms . Young more coastal and found on the continental shelf while adults migrate along the slope . Feed mainly on crustaceans and fishes . Commonly less than 45 cm TL . Marketed fresh, also as fillets and fishmeal .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Pelvic fin rays extremely elongated, reaching well beyond the origin of the anal fin. First dorsal fin with an elongate ray. Body color is brown to red-gray dorsally, becoming paler ventrally.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Greater forkbeard is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Greater forkbeard is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Reproduction data for Greater forkbeard is currently being compiled.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous ; depth range 10 - 1351 m , usually 100 - 450 m . Temperate; 69°N - 20°N, 29°W - 36°E West Africa; also the Mediterranean.
🌿 Ecology
crustaceans and fishes (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Greater forkbeard is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17.5 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 607 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Greater forkbeard has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Beard · Forked Hake · Greater forkbeard · forkbeard · greater fork-beard |
| 🏳️Catalan | Bròtola · Bròtola de Fang |
| 🌍CES | mníkovec velký |
| 🌍CYM | Swtanod Barfog · swtan barfog |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig skælbrosme · Skælbrosme · skaelbrosme |
| 🇩🇪German | Gabeldorsch · Schleimfischartige meertrüsche · großer Gabeldorsch |
| 🌍ELL | Λασποσαλούβαρδος · Σαλούβαρδος |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Suomuturska · suomuhankaturska |
| 🇫🇷French | Capelan · Loche · Longue barbe · Moille · Mostelle de fond · Mostelle de fond, Mostelle de vase · Mustella · Petit lingue · Petite morue longue · Phycis de fond · mostelle de roche · mostelle de vase |
| 🌍HEB | דונים המכמורת |
| 🌍ISL | Litla brosma |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Musdea · Musdea bianca · Pastenula · mústia di fondali |
| 🌍MLT | Lipp · Lipp abjad · Lupu |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Gaffelkabeljauw · Sluismeester Gaffelkabeljauw · sluismeester |
| 🌍NNO | skjellbrosme · steinbrosme |
| 🌍NOB | skjellbrosme · steinbrosme |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Skjellbrosme |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Bialy widlak · Widlak bialy · widlak biały |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Abrotea · Abrótea-do-alto · Abrótia-do-alto · Ricardo · juliana |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Большеглазый нитепёрый налим · налим морской |
| 🌍SLV | tabinja belica |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Alfaneca · Barbada · Berdán · Brotola · Brotola de fango · Brótola de roca · Escolano · Escolar · Locha · Molla · Mollara · Mollera · Mollera pigada · Moustelo blanco · Moustelo de roco · Mustelo blanco |
| 🌍SQI | Peshk-fik i bardhë · Peshk-fik i fundit |
| 🌍SRP | Tabinja · Tabinja bjaltica |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Fjällbrosme · Kumrill |
| 🌍TUR | Gelincik · Malactos · gelincik baligi |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? blennioides | Brünnich | 1768 | Synonym |
| Batrachoides gmelini | Risso | 1810 | Synonym |
| Blennius gadoides | Lacepède | 1800 | Synonym |
| Gadus albidus | Gmelin | 1789 | Synonym |
| Gadus bifurcus | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Gadus blennoides | Brünnich | 1768 | Synonym |
| Phycis blennioides | Brünnich | 1768 | Synonym |
| Phycis furcatus | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
| Phycis tinca | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Physcis furcatus | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
| Urophycis blennioides | Brünnich | 1768 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 20 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Greater forkbeard ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.