Marbled rockcod
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| Notothenia rossii Richardson, 1844 |
The marbled rockcod, Notothenia rossii, is a marine cod icefish in the family Nototheniidae with distribution ranging from southern New Zealand to sub-Antarctic seas, on rocky reefs. Their length is up to 92 cm, and they may weigh up to 10 kg.
Young marbled rockcod stay in lesser depths, mainly in the shallow fjord bays. Yearlings feed mainly on mesozooplankton in the near surface zone (5 - 15 m). Immature and mature fish are benthic but stay in shallower depths (10 - 20 m). Sexually mature fish move out of the fjord to stay in the continental shelf zone. Maximum life span for males is 12 years.
Being a sub-Antarctic species, the marbled rockcod has special adaptations such as antifreeze proteins in its blood, as well as adipose tissues to offset its lack of swim bladders, giving it neutral buoyancy.
The marbled rockcod is unrelated to the true cod.
[edit] References
- "Notothenia rossii". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
