Species learning profile

Bacalhau-do-atlântico

Gadus morhua

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is a saltwater fish associated with demersal habitat in Atlantic. A cold-water fish central to North Atlantic history.

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Arte original da coleção Fishdle de Bacalhau-do-atlântico
Fonte da arte: Fishdle · CC BY 4.0

At a glance

Água
Água salgada
Habitat
Fundo do mar
Comprimento máximo
200 cm
Distribuição
Atlântico
Família
Gadidae
Ordem
Gadiformes

Observe

How to identify Bacalhau-do-atlântico

  • Olive, brown, or grey with pale mottling.
  • Stout body, a chin barbel, and three dorsal fins.
  • Reported maximum length: 200 cm — capable of growing longer than many people are tall. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with demersal habitat across Atlantic. It lives on or close to the bottom, where sediment, rock, depth, and bottom-dwelling prey matter most.

Behavior

Uses demersal habitat for feeding, shelter, migration, or reproduction.

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

A species-specific mix of plant material, plankton, invertebrates, or other fish.

Ecological role

It connects bottom-dwelling prey with larger predators and may disturb sediment while feeding..

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Bacalhau-do-atlântico pode chegar a cerca de 200 cm e costuma viver perto de Fundo do mar.

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Bottom-associated fish can be affected by seafloor disturbance, bycatch, warming, and changes to benthic prey.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Atlantic cod in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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