Home · Moridae · Japanese codling
Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) — Moridae

Japanese codling

Physiculus japonicus
Family: Moridae

The Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) is a saltwater fish of the family Moridae that grows up to 35 cm.

Length
35 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
139–1,007 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Northwest Pacific; rough, rocky bottoms of the shelf and slope.
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Want the complete picture on the Japanese codling?

Description

The Japanese codling is a cod-like fish of the morid cod family (Moridae) from the northwestern Pacific. The species has an elongate body with a small chin barbel and large eyes, adapted to the dim deep water. It lives on rough, rocky bottoms along the continental shelf and upper slope. As a bottom predator it probes with its chin barbel for small crustaceans, worms and small fishes. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Japanese codling?

The Japanese codling has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern. Chin barbel and large eyes; bottom-dwelling deep-sea cod of rocky bottoms.

Where does the Japanese codling live?

The Japanese codling lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Northwest Pacific; rough, rocky bottoms of the shelf and slope.

How big does the Japanese codling get?

The Japanese codling grows to a maximum of about 35 cm.

Is the Japanese codling dangerous to humans?

No, the Japanese codling is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.

Is the Japanese codling edible?

The Japanese codling is rarely eaten.

More photos

Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) — Moridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) nongiftedman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) — Moridae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Totti (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) — Moridae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Totti (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Japanese codling (Physiculus japonicus) — Moridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) bananyasan_0728, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

Want the complete picture on the Japanese codling?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Japanese codling is one of 12,519 species in the app.

All data

Identification

English name
Japanese codling verified
Scientific name
Physiculus japonicus
Family
Moridae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
35 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown
Pattern
Plain
Tail shape
Straight
Mouth position
Terminal
Lips
Thick / fleshy
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
139 verified
Max depth (m)
1,007 verified
Natural range
Northwest Pacific; rough, rocky bottoms of the shelf and slope.
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small crustaceans, worms and small fishes sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary
Territorial
No
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.
Special features
Chin barbel and large eyes; bottom-dwelling deep-sea cod of rocky bottoms. sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed.
Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
None required: this species is harmless to humans. sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Physiculus

More from the family Moridae

Want the complete picture on the Japanese codling?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Japanese codling is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Is this the Japanese codling?