Guide to the gadiform fishes of the eastern North Pacific : cods, grenadiers, hakes, morids, codlings

• Main Authors: Hoff, Gerald Raymond, 1962-, Stevenson, Duane E., 1970-, Orr, James W.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center 2016
• Subjects: Fishes > North Pacific Ocean > Identification > Handbooks, manuals, etc.; Gadiformes > North Pacific Ocean > Identification > Handbooks, manuals, etc.; Gadiformes > North Pacific Ocean > Geographical distibution > Handbooks, manuals, etc.; Arctic; Pacific; Burbot; Lota lota; Alaska; lota
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-309; https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/5354

Encompassing the species commonly known as cods, the order Gadiformes comprises nine families of about 555 species around the world. In the eastern North Pacific, five families are represented: the true cods (Gadidae), grenadiers (Macrouridae), codlings (Moridae), hakes (Merlucciidae), and arrowtails (Melanonidae). Members of this order are among the most familiar fishes of the North Pacific and they support some of the largest fisheries in the world. Although worldwide a few gadiforms are occasionally found in freshwater, with the exception of a single freshwater species, the burbot (Lota lota), all species in the eastern North Pacific are exclusively marine. They occupy a broad range of habitats from shallow arctic waters to some of the deepest waters of the North Pacific.This guide describes the gadiforms found in the marine waters of the eastern North Pacific and Arctic oceans adjacent to North America from the Alaska arctic to the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as the burbot, the only gadiform species found in freshwater. This guide treats members of the order in the region, including both common and rarely observed species. Although other species of North Pacific fishes have traditionally been referred to as 'cods,' they are not true cods (Gadiformes). These include widely known species such as the black cod or sablefish of the family Anoplopomatidae, the lingcod of the family Hexagrammidae, and the rockcods (rockfishes) of the family Scorpaenidae. These species are not gadiforms and are not included in this guide. This guide is designed to be used by researchers, students, and industry professionals to help identify these abundant, common, and commercially important species. The keys to families and individual species lead to species accounts that include a photograph, distribution map, size range, depth range, brief life history information, and comparisons with similar species