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Humped rockcod (Gobionotothen gibberifrons) — Nototheniidae

Humped rockcod

Gobionotothen gibberifrons
Family: Nototheniidae

The Humped rockcod (Gobionotothen gibberifrons) is a saltwater fish of the family Nototheniidae that grows up to 55 cm.

Length
55 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
6.0–429.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The humped rockcod is an Antarctic notothen (Nototheniidae) from the Southern Ocean. The species has a fairly large body with a conspicuously bulging forehead. It lives bottom-bound on the continental shelf around the Antarctic Peninsula and islands of the Scotia Arc. As a bottom hunter it feeds on polychaete worms, small crustaceans, molluscs and detritus. It is an important prey in the Antarctic food web. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Humped rockcod?

The Humped rockcod has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Humped rockcod live?

The Humped rockcod lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Humped rockcod get?

The Humped rockcod grows to a maximum of about 55 cm. On average the species is around 40 cm.

Is the Humped rockcod dangerous to humans?

No, the Humped rockcod is harmless to humans.

Is the Humped rockcod edible?

Yes, the Humped rockcod is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bultkop-ijskabeljauw sourced
English name
Humped rockcod verified
Scientific name
Gobionotothen gibberifrons
Family
Nototheniidae
Other names
Humphead notothen verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
55.0 verified
Average length (cm)
40.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
6.0 verified
Max depth (m)
429.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gobionotothen

More from the family Nototheniidae

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