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Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) — Nototheniidae

Marbled rockcod

Notothenia rossii
Family: Nototheniidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) is a saltwater fish of the family Nototheniidae that grows up to 92 cm.

Length
92 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–350.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Antarctic Ocean (Antarctica)
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The marbled rockcod is a notothen from the Southern Ocean, around the Antarctic Peninsula, the Scotia Arc and subantarctic islands. The species grows to about 92 cm and has a stocky, brown mottled body. Juveniles live in shallow fjord bays and eat plankton; adults move to deeper shelf water and hunt bottom animals. The species was heavily fished in the past. The fish is harmless to humans and has not been evaluated by the IUCN (NE).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Marbled rockcod?

The Marbled rockcod has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern. Juveniles pelagic, adults bottom-dwelling; formerly heavily fished

Where does the Marbled rockcod live?

The Marbled rockcod lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Antarctic Ocean (Antarctica)

How big does the Marbled rockcod get?

The Marbled rockcod grows to a maximum of about 92 cm. On average the species is around 50 cm.

Is the Marbled rockcod dangerous to humans?

No, the Marbled rockcod is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Marbled rockcod edible?

Yes, the Marbled rockcod is commonly eaten.

More photos

Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) — Nototheniidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Valerie Loeb (Public domain)
Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) — Nototheniidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Dale Maschette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA))
Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) — Nototheniidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) martin_glhf, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) — Nototheniidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Peter Kappes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Marbled rockcod verified
Scientific name
Notothenia rossii
Family
Nototheniidae
Other names
Marbled notothen; Marbled notothenia; Marbled rockcod verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
92.0 verified
Average length (cm)
50.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Max depth (m)
350.0 verified
Natural range
Antarctic Ocean (Antarctica) verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Plankton (juveniles) and benthic invertebrates (adults) inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
16.0 verified
Seasonality
Antarctic shelf notothen; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Juveniles pelagic, adults bottom-dwelling; formerly heavily fished sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Notothenia

More from the family Nototheniidae

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