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Bald notothen (Pagothenia borchgrevinki) — Nototheniidae

Bald notothen

Pagothenia borchgrevinki
Family: Nototheniidae

The Bald notothen (Pagothenia borchgrevinki) is a saltwater fish of the family Nototheniidae that grows up to 28 cm.

Length
28 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–550.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The bald notothen is an Antarctic notothen (Nototheniidae) from the Southern Ocean. The species is remarkable in living cryopelagically: it stays at the underside of the sea ice. Antifreeze substances in its blood prevent it from freezing in the icy water. It feeds on zooplankton such as krill and copepods. It is itself an important prey for seals, birds and larger fishes. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bald notothen?

The Bald notothen has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Bald notothen live?

The Bald notothen lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Bald notothen get?

The Bald notothen grows to a maximum of about 28 cm.

Is the Bald notothen dangerous to humans?

No, the Bald notothen is harmless to humans.

Is the Bald notothen edible?

The Bald notothen is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
IJsvis van Borchgrevink sourced
English name
Bald notothen verified
Scientific name
Pagothenia borchgrevinki
Family
Nototheniidae
Other names
Bald notothen verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
28.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
550.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Sportvissen met kunstaas of (dood/levend) aasvis door te trollen, te werpen of drijvend te vissen in open water. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pagothenia

More from the family Nototheniidae

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