Merlangius merlangus (*)
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Paracanthopterygii
Series: Zeiogadaria
Subseries: Gadariae
Ordo: Gadiformes
Familia: Gadidae
Subfamilia: Gadinae
Genus: Merlangius
Species: Merlangius merlangus
Name
Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonymy
Gadus merlangus (protonym)
References
Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiæ: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. i–ii, 1–824 pp DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.542: 253. Open access Reference page.
Ross, S.D., Gislason, H., Andersen, N.G., Lewy, P. & Nielsen, J.R. 2016. The diet of whiting Merlangius merlangus in the western Baltic Sea. Journal of Fish Biology 88(5): 1965–1988. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12959Reference page.
Links
Merlangius merlangus in the World Register of Marine Species
Vernacular names
brezhoneg: Merlank
čeština: Treska bezvousá
dansk: Hvilling
Deutsch: Wittling
English: Whiting
Esperanto: Merlango
español: Merlán
euskara: Liba
suomi: Valkoturska
føroyskt: Hvítingur
français: Merlan
Gaeilge: Faoitín
Gàidhlig: Cuiteag
hrvatski: Pišmolj
Kreyòl ayisyen: Melan
magyar: Vékonybajszú tőkehal
Ido: Merlano
íslenska: Lýsa
italiano: Merlano
ქართული: მერლანგი
қазақша: Мерланг
Napulitano: Babbiluscio
Nederlands: Wijting
norsk: Hvitting
polski: Witlinek
русский: Мерланг
slovenščina: Mol
svenska: Vitling
Türkçe: Bakalyaro
українська: Мерланг
中文: 牙鱈
Merlangius merlangus, commonly known as whiting or merling, is an important food fish in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean and the northern Mediterranean, western Baltic, and Black Sea. In Anglophonic countries outside the Whiting's natural range, the name "whiting" has been applied to various other species of fish.
Description
Merlangius merlangus has three dorsal fins with a total of 30 to 40 soft rays and two anal fins with 30 to 35 soft rays. The body is long and the head small and a chin barbel, if present, is very small. This fish can reach a maximum length of about 70 centimetres (27+1⁄2 inches). The colour may be yellowish-brown, greenish or dark blue, the flanks yellowish grey or white and the belly silvery. There is a distinctive black blotch near the base of each pectoral fin.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Whiting are native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Their range extends from the southeastern Barents Sea and Iceland to Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, Portugal, the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Adriatic Sea and parts of the Mediterranean Sea. They occur on sand, mud and gravel seabeds at depths down to about 100 metres (300 feet; 50 fathoms).[2]
In 2014, their conservation status was classified at vulnerable in the Baltic Sea.[3]
Uses
Until the late 20th century, Whiting was a cheap fish, regarded as food for the poor or for pets.[4] The general decline in fish stocks means it is now more highly valued. The other fish that have been given the name Whiting are mostly also edible fish. Several species of the drum, or croaker, family (Sciaenidae) are also called Whiting, among them the northern kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis).
Parasites
Whiting and related other Gadidae species are plagued by parasites. These include the cod worm (Lernaeocera branchialis), a copepod crustacean that clings to the gills or the fish and metamorphoses into a plump, sinusoidal, wormlike body, with a coiled mass of egg strings at the rear.
References
Nedreaas, K.; Florin, A.; Cook, R.; Fernandes, P.; Lorance, P. (2014). "Merlangius merlangus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T198585A45097610. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T198585A45097610.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
"Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758): Whiting". FishBase. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
HELCOM (2013). "HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species in danger of becoming extinct" (PDF). Baltic Sea Environmental Proceedings (140): 72. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
"Whiting". www.BritishSeaFishing.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
"Merlangius merlangus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 19 March 2006.
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