MARKET NAME: COD
COMMON NAME: Atlantic Cod. See literature references.
NON-ENGLISH AND VERNACULAR NAMES: Atlantic cod, Bacalao del Atlántico, Cod, Codling, Dorsch, Kabeljau, Kabel-jauw, Morue, Morue del Atlantique, Rock cod, Scrod cod, Skrei, Torsk, Treska. See literature references.
ORIGINAL REFERENCE: as Gadus morhua in Linnaeus, 1758. Systema Naturae, 10th edition, p. 252. ]Type locality: seas of Europe(.
SYNONYMS: Gadus callarias Linnaeus, 1758; Gadus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758; Gadus vertagus Walbaum, 1791; Gadus heteroglossus Walbaum, 1792; Gadus ruber Lacepède, 1803; Gadus arenosus Mitchill, 1815; Gadus rupestris Mitchill, 1815; Morhua punctata Fleming, 1828; Morhua vulgaris Fleming, 1828; Gadus nanus Faber, 1829; Morrhua americana Storer, 1858; Gadus morrhua of authors. See literature references.
NAMED SUBSPECIES: Several subspecies and forms have been named. See literature references
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: Coloration: Color variable. Greenish, brownish, or grey dorsally and on upper side (sometimes yellowish or reddish); pale or whitish ventrally. Many brownish to reddish rounded spots on back and sides. Without a dark blotch above base of pectoral fin. Lateral line pale. Fins dark. Peritoneum silvery to silvery gray. See literature references.
Morphology:

Size - To 1.4 meters (4½ feet) and 27 kg (60 pounds). Oceanic form often reaches 1 meter. Record size is 183 centimeters (6 feet) and 95 kg (211 pounds). See literature references.

Shape - Body moderately elongate, its depth fitting approximately four times in its length; compressed and tapering behind. See literature references.

Head - Head large, but varying much in size, fitting 3½ to 4½ times into body length, narrowed anteriorly. Interorbital space 15 to 22% of head length. Mouth moderately large, terminal; lower jaw shorter than upper. Chin with well developed barbel. Eye moderately large, about ½ length of snout. Gill openings very wide, extending upward to at least the level of the pectoral fins. Gills four in number, with a slit behind the fourth; no pseudobranchiae present. Edge of preopercle usually covered by skin. Lateral line pores present on head. See literature references and illustration.
Dentition - Teeth in jaws stong, cardiform, arranged in narrow bands; vomer toothed; palatine without teeth. See lilterature references.

Osteology - Cranium without the expanded V-shaped crests seen in Melanogrammus (borne on the frontals); occipital keel not greatly developed; suborbital bones moderately large; maxillary reaching past front of eye to about middle of orbit. Spine on top of first vertebra tightly connected to a narrow crest at the rear of the skull; transverse processes of vertebrae not swollen at tip; single hypural bone attached to last vertebra. No part of the skeleton expanded and ivory-like. See literature references.

Dorsal fin - Dorsal fin base long, extending almost the length of the back. Dorsal fin divided into 3 well-separated parts (appearing as separate fins), bearing about 14, 21 and 19 rays respectively. First part of fin originating posterior to head (predorsal distance less than about one-third of total length), its height about one-half of head length; last part originating far posterior to the level of the vent. No spinous rays. See literature references and illustration.

Anal fin - Anal fin base long; fin divided into 2 separate parts (appearing as separate fins), with about 20 and 18 rays respectively. First part with short base (less than one-half of preanal length). No spinous rays. See literature references and illlustration.

Pectoral fins - Pectoral fins ½ length of head, falling far short of anal fin origin. No spinousrays. See literature references.

Pelvic fins - Pelvic fins thoracic, slightly ahead of pectoral fins, of about 7 rays; second ray slightly elongated. No spinous rays. See literature references and illustrations.

Caudal fin - Caudal fin distinct, separate from dorsal and anal fins, externally symmetrical, and square cut to slightly indented. See literature references.

Lateral line - Lateral line present on side of body, pale, prominent, continuous at least to mid-length of third part of dorsal fin, interrepted posteriorly to end of caudal peduncle. Lateral line pores present on head. See literature references and illustration.

Scalation - Scales small, cycloid, rounded, and overlapping; not at angles to each other. See literature references

Swim bladder - Swimbladder large, well developed, not attached to rear of skull. See literature references.

Anal opening - Vent submedian, below front of second part of dorsal fin. See literature references.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: [In preparation.]
FISHERIES AND SEASONAL ABUNDANCE: [In preparation.]
FISHING METHODS: [In preparation.]
MARKETED PRODUCT FORMS: [In preparation.]
NOTES: [In preparation.]
LITERATURE: [In preparation.]