Kingdom Animalia Family Phycidae Genus Urophycis Order Gadiformes | Class Actinopterygii Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Urophycis, Urophycis cirrata, Red hake, Gadiformes, Northern pipefish | ||
Urophycis regia (spotted hake or spotted codling) is a fish species belonging to the genus Urophycis.
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Description
The spotted hake can be distinguished by its tapering body, two dorsal fins, and filamentous pelvic fins similar to the white and red hake. It differs from the two, however, but not having a third ray of the dorsal fin prolonged into a filament, by having larger scales, and a larger mouth with the end of the maxillary behind the level of the back of the eye. Its coloration is distinctive, having a black distal half of the dorsal fin with a narrow white margin. The lateral line is black but interrupted by a series of white spots. Its pelvic fins are white.
Distribution and habitat
The spotted codling is found in the northwestern Atlantic from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.