Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

The Norway pout is dark greeny brown dorsally, with distinct silver sides and a small but conspicuous dark spot above the base of the pectoral fin. The maximum recorded size for this species is 35 cm. Trisopterus esmarkii has an elongate body whose depth is less than the head is long. The snout is pointed with a prominent lower jaw and large mouth extending to the level of the middle of the pupil. Its eyes are large, greater than the snout length. It has a conspicuous moderately long, thin chin barbel. There are 3 dorsal and 2 anal fins, with the origin of the anal fin positioned below or slightly behind the first dorsal interspace.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Recorded from around Britain and Ireland, particularly the west coast.

Global distribution

Northeast Atlantic, Southwest Barents Sea, around Iceland and Faroe Islands (Fishbase,2000)

Habitat

A benthopelagic to pelagic species found over muddy bottoms, at depths between 100 to 200 m.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • Dark greeny brown with distinct silver sides
  • Small but conspicuous dark spot above the base of the pectoral fin
  • Prominent lower jaw
  • Large eye, greater than snout length

Additional information

Norway pout is an important food item in the diet of several prime species including hake, cod, whiting and pollack. This is a highly commercial species caught mainly for fishmeal.
Spawns from January to July off of north and north west Scotland, Faroes, Iceland and Norweigan coast.

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Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. FishBase, 2000. FishBase. A global information system on fishes. [On-line] http://www.fishbase.org, 2001-05-03

  2. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.]

  3. Wheeler, A., 1969. The fishes of the British Isles and north-west Europe. London: Macmillan.

  4. WoRMS 2007. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). http://www.marinespecies.org, 2008-10-31

Datasets

  1. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  2. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2024. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2024-04-19

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Sweet, N. A. 2008. Trisopterus esmarkii Norway pout. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19-04-2024]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/171

Last Updated: 23/07/2008