Spanish ling

Summary

The Spanish ling (Molva macrophthalma), also called the Mediterranean ling and even blue ling,[1][3] is a species of fish in the family Lotidae.[1][2][3]

Spanish ling
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gadiformes
Family: Lotidae
Genus: Molva
Species:
M. macrophthalma
Binomial name
Molva macrophthalma
(Rafinesque, 1810)
Synonyms[2]
  • Phycis macrophthalmus Rafinesque, 1810
  • Gadus elongatus Otto, 1821
  • Lota elongata Otto, 1821
  • Lotta elongata Otto, 1821
  • Molva dipterygia elongata Otto, 1821
  • Molva dypterygia macrophthalma Rafinesque, 1810
  • Molva elongata Otto, 1821

Description edit

It maximum length is 108 cm (3.54 ft).[3]

Habitat edit

Spanish ling lives in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and western Mediterranean;[1][3] it is common in the Azores. It lives at moderate shallow waters,[4] being recorded at depths of 388–754 m (1,273–2,474 ft) in the Ionian Sea, and has also been found in the Aegean Sea.[5][6]

Behaviour edit

It feeds on bony fish, squid and lobsters.[7][8] Known parasites include Lernaeocera copepods.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Nedreaas, K.; Nielsen, J.; Cook, R.; Fernandes, P.; Florin, A.; Lorance, P. (2014). "Molva macrophthalma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T198592A45132502. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T198592A45132502.en. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Molva macrophthalma" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  4. ^ Burton, Maurice; Burton, Robert (July 2, 2002). International Wildlife Encyclopedia: Leopard - marten. Marshall Cavendish. ISBN 9780761472667 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Bayhan, Yusuf Kenan; Erguden, Deniz; Alagoz Erguden, Sibel; Altun, Ayhan (April 1, 2019). "First Substantiated Record of Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) in Southern Aegean Sea, Turkey". Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences. 35 (1): 271–274. doi:10.1007/s41208-018-0119-5. S2CID 134789338 – via Springer Link.
  6. ^ "Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
  7. ^ "Blue Ling and Spanish Ling | Britishseafishing.co.uk". March 16, 2013.
  8. ^ "Food Items - Molva macrophthalma". www.fishbase.se.
  9. ^ Quigley, Declan T. G.; Declan MacGabhann; Douglas Herdson (2014). "Spanish or Mediterranean ling Molva macrophthalma (Rafinesque, 1810) in Irish and UK waters: further records and a review of records". Porcupine Marine Natural History Society Bulletin. 1: 33–35.