Lingcod

The lingcod or ling cod (Ophiodon elongatus) is a fish of the greenling family <a href="/facts/Hexagrammidae/NyE7y26a">Hexagrammidae</a>. Despite its name, the lingcod is neither a <a href="/facts/Cod/tyEc8vbh">cod</a> nor a <a href="/facts/Lotidae/MrqYQhb6">ling</a>. It is also known as the buffalo cod, cultus cod, or Buckethead. It is the <a href="/facts/Monotypic/QvoM9aGP">only extant member</a> of the genus <a href="/facts/Ophiodon/0qrq51xa">Ophiodon</a>. A slightly larger, extinct species, <a href="/facts/Ophiodon_ozymandias/BFmc0jt5">Ophiodon ozymandias</a>, is known from fossils from the <a href="/facts/Late_Miocene/uygxQEkM">Late Miocene</a> of Southern California.
Ophiodon elongatus is native to the <a href="/facts/North_America/djNjCQIl">North American</a> west coast from <a href="/facts/Shumagin_Islands/qFIqHn6W">Shumagin Islands</a> in the <a href="/facts/Gulf_of_Alaska/2z2bXRWy">Gulf of Alaska</a> to <a href="/facts/Baja_California/vJY3AFwn">Baja California</a>, Mexico. It has been observed up to a size of 152 centimetres (60 in) and a confirmed weight of 39 kilograms (86 lb), with unconfirmed reports of fish weighing more than 50 kilograms (110 lb).
It is spotted in various shades of gray. The lingcod is a popular eating fish and is thus prized by anglers. Though not closely related to either <a href="/facts/Common_ling/tcvJVb3D">ling</a> or <a href="/facts/Cod/tyEc8vbh">cod</a>, the name "lingcod" originated because it somewhat resembles those fish. Around 20% of lingcods have blue green to turquoise flesh.p. 298 The color, which is no longer present after cooking, may be due to <a href="/facts/Biliverdin/q1Gszupx">biliverdin</a>, but this has not been established beyond doubt.

Lingcod open-in-new

Lingcod