قدّيّة سوداء

Chin barbel small. Lateral line smooth along its entire length. Body color is brownish-green dorsally, becoming only slightly paler ventrally. The lateral line pale.

Oviparous, sexes are separate (Ref. 205).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Analspines: 0

Studies on the diet of this species in various localities in the North Atlantic have shown the pelagic character of its food. During its first two years of existence, it inhabits mostly coastal waters where it feeds mainly on plankton like appendicularians and crustaceans. After this coastal period, it migrates to the open sea and its food remains pelagic, although prey is larger and consists of euphausiids, fishes and cephalopods (Ref. 42118). Parasites of the species include 6 trematodes, 2 nematodes, 2 cestodes and 1 acanthocephalan; Hemiuris levinseni (trematode) being the most common, followed by Echinorhynchus gadi (Ref. 5951). See also Ref. 8999.

An active, gregarious fish occurring inshore and offshore waters. Usually enters coastal waters in spring and returns to deeper waters in winter (Ref. 9988). Smaller fish in inshore waters feed on small crustaceans (copepods, amphipods, euphausiids) and small fish, while larger fish prey predominantly upon fishes. Spawn in batches (Ref. 51846). Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked, canned and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988).

fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: low; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species