Species learning profile
Burbot
Lota lota
Burbot (Lota lota) is a freshwater fish associated with lake habitat in Arctic. The world's only entirely freshwater cod spawns beneath winter ice.
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At a glance
- Water
- Fresh water
- Habitat
- Lake
- Maximum length
- 152 cm
- Range
- Arctic
- Family
- Lotidae
- Order
- Gadiformes
Observe
How to identify Burbot
- The world's only entirely freshwater cod spawns beneath winter ice.
- Guide context: lake habitat in Arctic.
- Reported maximum length: 152 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 lake habitat across Arctic. Temperature, oxygen, depth, and shoreline cover divide a lake into very different living zones.
Behavior
Hunts in cold deep water, especially at night
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Fish, crayfish, and insects.
Ecological role
A cold-water bottom predator.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
The world's only entirely freshwater cod spawns beneath winter ice.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Healthy lake populations depend on suitable temperature and oxygen, clean spawning areas, and balanced harvest and food webs.
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 Burbot 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.
Make connections