Forkbeard, Greater Forkbeard

Family Gadidae

• Portuguese: Abrótia do alto
• Spanish: Brótola de fango
• French: Mostelle de roche/de vase
• Dutch: Sluismeester
• German: Gabeldorsch
• Swedish: Fjällbrosme
• Norwegian: Skjellbrosme
• Danish: Skælbrosme
• Icelandic: Litla brosma

REMARKS Maximum length 75 cm. A brownish fish. The dorsal, tail and anal fins are edged with black. This fish is called forkbeard because the pelvic fins are long and forked and look faintly like a beard. The characteristic is shared by a number of related species. Two of these which occur in North American waters are shown on the next page. The fork-beards have one relation which is sufficiently amusing to warrant being mentioned. This is the TADPOLE-FISH, shown below. Its scientific name is Raniceps raninus (Linnaeus). It only attains a length of 30 cm and is tadpole-coloured as well as tadpole-shaped. It is widespread but uncommon around the British coasts; but quite common in Norwegian waters. The Norwegians call it paddetorsk.