Family Moridae

Common names:  codlings or morids

Distribution:  Worldwide from the continental shelves to ~3000 meters.  A few species are pelagic but the majority are benthopelagic swimming just above the seafloor.

General description and features:  These fishes look very much like cod or pollock with a somewhat elongate body.  They all have two dorsal fins, the first short and the second elongate, and a single (rarely two) elongate anal fin.  The tail is seperated from the body by a narrow caudal peduncle.  All the fins lack spines.  Some have a short barbel under the chin.  A few species have a light organ on the belly in front of the anus.

Feeding:  These fishes feed on a variety of fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans in the benthopelagic layer.

Reproduction and life history:  Little is known.  Characteristics may be similar to the Macrouridae.  Fecundity of some species is several hundred thousand to a million eggs.  The larvae of some species are regularly captured but are entirely unknown for others (i.e. Antimora microlepis, a very common slope dwelling morid in the North Pacific.)

Antimora microlepis photographed at ~3000meters offshore of Monterey Bay (top photo) and at 1800 meters in the canyon (bottom photo).  This fish is commonly seen but is never abundant like the macrourids.