Southern blue whiting
| Southern blue whiting | |
|---|---|
.gif) | |
| Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gadiformes |
| Family: | Gadidae |
| Genus: | Micromesistius |
| Species: | M. australis |
| Binomial name | |
| Micromesistius australis Norman, 1937 | |
The southern blue whiting, Micromesistius australis, is a codfish of the genus Micromesistius, found in the southern oceans with temperatures between 3 and 7°C, at depths of 50 to 900 m. Its length is commonly between 30 and 60 cm, with a maximum length of 90 cm.[1] Maximum weight is at least 1350 g.[2]
A related species, the blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou, occurs in the Northern Hemisphere.
In Canada, according to Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations and the list of acceptable fish species names, "Micromesistius australis" (or southern blue whiting) can also be referred to as blue cod.[3][4] This well-known species is part of the family Gadidae and is a very versatile fish. It is most commonly filleted and served breaded or battered, but it is also well-suited to pan frying, oven baking and steaming. It has flaky white fillets and mild flavor with broad appeal to children and adults alike.
The two disjunct populations are:[1]
- M. a. australis occurs around the Falkland Islands and Argentine Patagonia in the southwest Atlantic, off Chile in the southeast Pacific, and off South Georgia, South Shetland and South Orkney Islands.
- M. a. pallidus occurs around the South Island of New Zealand. Some evidence indicates southern blue whiting in this area may actually comprise multiple stocks.[5]
References
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Micromesistius australis" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
- 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
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/fispoi/product/comnome.shtm
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cohen, D. M.; T. Inada, T. lwamoto, and N. Scialabba (1990). FAO species catalogue. Vol. 10. Gadiform fishes of the world (Order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 125. Rome: FAO. ISBN 92-5-102890-7.
- ↑ Cassia, M. C. (2000). "Age and growth of the southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis in the SW Atlantic". Scientia Marina 64: 269–274.
- ↑ http://active.inspection.gc.ca/scripts/fssa/fispoi/fplist/fpresults.asp?lang=e&q=Blue%20Cod&cmbIn=e
- ↑ http://active.inspection.gc.ca/scripts/fssa/fispoi/fplist/fpresults.asp?lang=e&q=Southern%20Blue%20Whiting&cmbIn=e
- ↑ Hanchet, S. (1999). "Stock structure of southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis) in New Zealand waters". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 33 (4): 599–609. doi:10.1080/00288330.1999.9516903.