Fourbeard rockling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fourbeard rockling |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Enchelyopus
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| Species: |
cimbrius
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| Synonyms | |
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Gadus cimbrius Linnaeus, 1766 |
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The fourbeard rockling (also called the four-bearded rockling) is a special kind of fish. Its scientific name is Enchelyopus cimbrius. You can find this fish swimming in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean. It can grow up to 41 centimeters (about 16 inches) long. People don't usually catch many of these fish for food or business.
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What Does the Fourbeard Rockling Look Like?
The fourbeard rockling is a long, thin fish. It gets its name from the four whisker-like feelers it has, called barbels. One barbel is on its chin, and the other three are on its snout (nose area).
Its body is flatter on the sides towards the back. The front dorsal fin (on its back) has one long, noticeable ray, but the rest of it is short. The back dorsal fin is very long and stays the same height.
The fin on its belly (anal fin) is also long. Its pelvic fins are located in front of its pectoral fins (which are like arms). The part connecting its body to its tail (caudal peduncle) is very short. Its tail fin is rounded.
This fish has slimy skin, and its scales are hard to see. Its back is usually brownish. Sometimes, it has darker, uneven spots near its tail. Its sides and belly are silvery-grey. The fins are bluish, with darker edges on the dorsal, anal, and tail fins. Most fourbeard rocklings are between 20 and 30 centimeters long, but they can reach up to 41 centimeters.
Where Do Fourbeard Rocklings Live?
The fourbeard rockling lives in two main areas of the Atlantic Ocean. In the northwestern Atlantic, you can find it from the northern Gulf of Mexico all the way up to Newfoundland and western Greenland.
In the northeastern Atlantic, it lives from the Bay of Biscay to Iceland and the Barents Sea. It also lives in the western Baltic Sea and sometimes in the Gulf of Finland. In the Baltic Sea, this fish is becoming a near-threatened species, meaning its numbers are getting low.
These fish move around with the seasons. In spring, they swim further out into the ocean (offshore). In autumn, they come closer to the coast (inshore). They can live in waters from about 20 meters (65 feet) deep to 500 meters (1,640 feet) deep.
What Do Fourbeard Rocklings Eat?
The fourbeard rockling is a bottom-dwelling fish, which means it lives and feeds near the ocean floor. It eats many different small creatures. Its diet includes crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), polychaete worms, molluscs (like snails and clams), and other small animals without backbones (invertebrates).
How Do Fourbeard Rocklings Reproduce?
Fourbeard rocklings usually breed between February and August. When they lay their eggs, they do so in deep water. After the eggs are released, they float up towards the surface of the ocean.
