Anatomy: long, round body; spineless fins; pelvic fins (if present) located below or in front of pectoral fins
Diet: zooplankton, crustaceans, smaller fish
Habitat: mostly marine (one species is freshwater and some species are able to enter brackish and fresh water); most live in temperate or cold regions; tropical species are mainly deep-water
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
(source)
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Voting ended onJul 17, 2025
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The filter-feeding Tube-eye (Stylephorus chordatus) (image 4) is the only living member of its family, and is considered the most basal member of the Gadiformes. It lives in the deep sea, using its binocular-like eyes to hunt copepods, which it sucks in with its giant mouth and then filters out excess water through its gills.
Some populations of Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) are landlocked, and spend their lives in freshwater, but the only truly freshwater gadiform is the Burbot (Lota lota) (image 3).
North Pacific Hake (Merluccius productus) is part of an important commercial fishery off the West Coast of the United States, even though the species contains an enzyme in its tissues which can rapidly spoil the meat in a matter of just under 12 hours, causing the tissues of the fish to disintegrate. Fisheries that target Pacific Hake typically deliver the fish to processing plants within several hours of being caught. Processing plants add an enzyme inhibitor to raw processed fish to slow the spoilage of Pacific Hake and neutralize the specific enzyme that causes the fish to spoil quickly. Almost all Pacific Hake that is wild caught is converted into fish paste and processed into surimi, which allows the enzyme inhibitor to be mixed into the fish paste to make crab sticks and other processed fish products. Over 70% of the Pacific Hake caught and processed into surimi is shipped to Japan and Korea.
The Tadpole Fish (Raniceps raninus) (image 2) is another gadiform who is the only living member of its family. It is not caught for food, but is valued in the aquarium trade for its cute appearance.
Some Grenadiers (family Macrouridae) have a photophore on the midline of the abdomen just in front of the anus. The bioluminescence of these fish is produced by symbiotic bioluminescent bacteria.
The Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) (image 1) is the largest gadiform, and can grow up to 180 cm (6 ft) long and weigh 50 kg (110 lb), though they typically grow to between 100–140 cm (3.3–4.6 ft) long. Atlantic Cod are widely consumed by humans and are one of the most heavily fished species, even though they are considered vulnerable to extinction. Several cod stocks collapsed in the 1990s (decline of more than 95% of maximum historical biomass) and have failed to fully recover even with the cessation of fishing. This absence of the apex predator has also led to a trophic cascade in many areas. Many other cod stocks remain at risk. A reassessment in 2013 which covered only Europe shows that European Atlantic Cod have rebounded, and they were thus relabeled as “least concern”. Populations remain in decline elsewhere.
Many gadiforms are demersal (living on the ocean floor) species, and are thus caught using deep-sea trawlers, an unsustainable form of fishing that involves millions of tons of bycatch annually.
The Blue Grenadier (also known as Hoki) (Macruronus novaezelandiae) is a very important commercial species in Australia. It is often processed into manufactured meat, which is then shaped into a “fish cutlet” look. It is one of the species used in McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, Fish Fingers, and McFish sandwiches, alongside Alaska Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) (see gif above). Hoki was previously served at Long John Silver's and Denny's restaurants in the United States, and continues to be served at Denny's in New Zealand. In 2010, Greenpeace International added the Blue Grenadier to its seafood red list. The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand assigns Hoki an E grade (red - avoid). Both organisations state damage to the sea floor due to bottom trawling and bycatch of species such as New Zealand Fur Seals, albatrosses, petrels, and basking sharks as the primary reasons for the ratings.
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Don’t let the barbel deceive you (sorry, goatee), the forkbeard was actually named for its bifid pelvic fins situated near the ventral side of the fish’s head. Like a beard, if you will. A forkbeard. It’s not actually the only forkbeard out there though, as P. phycis shares its genus with P. blennoides: the greater forkbeard, or sweaty betty. I should have saved that one for another post.
