Molva dypterygia (Pennant, 1784)
Blue ling
Molva dypterygia
photo by Salesjö, A.

Family:  Lotidae (Hakes and burbots)
Max. size:  155 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 30 kg; max. reported age: 20 years
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 150 - 1000 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Northeast Atlantic: Southwestern Barents Sea, sometimes north to Spitsbergen, southeastern Greenland, southern coast of Iceland, around the British Isles and south to Morocco and into the western Mediterranean. Northwest Atlantic: Newfoundland.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 70-81. Lower jaw longer than upper jaw; barbel shorter than eye diameter. Back gray-brown, grading to white ventrally. Posterior portions of vertical fins dark with pale margins.
Biology:  Found mostly from 350-500 m depth on muddy bottoms. Feed on crustaceans and fish (flatfishes, gobies, rocklings) (Ref. 1371).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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