# Marbled rockcod
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marbled_rockcod
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marbled_rockcod.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbled_rockcod
> Source revision: 1354928029
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Notothenia rossii.jpg
| taxon = Notothenia rossii
| authority = [J. Richardson](/source/John_Richardson_(naturalist)), 1844[{{cite WoRMS |author=Bailly, Nicolas |year=2020 |title=''Notothenia rossii'' Richardson, 1844|id=234840 |accessdate=31 July 2020}}]
| synonyms =
* ''Notothenia rossii rossii'' J. Richardson, 1844
* ''Notothenia marmorata'' [J. G. Fischer](/source/Johann_Gustav_Fischer), 1885
* ''Notothenia rossii marmorata'' J. G. Fischer, 1885
* ''Notothenia coriiceps macquariensis'' Waite, 1916
| synonyms_ref = [
}}
The '''marbled rockcod''' ('''''Notothenia rossii''''') is a [species](/source/species) of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/ray-finned_fish), belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Nototheniidae](/source/Nototheniidae), the notothens or cod icefishes. It is native to the [Southern Ocean](/source/Southern_Ocean), where it can be found at depths from {{convert|5|to|350|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This is a [commercially](/source/commercial_fishing) important species.][{{FishBase | genus = Notothenia | species = rossii | month = February| year = 2014}}]
==Taxonomy==
The marbled rockcod was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) in 1844 by the Scottish [naval surgeon](/source/naval_surgeon), [naturalist](/source/naturalist) and [Arctic explorer](/source/Arctic_explorer) [John Richardson](/source/John_Richardson_(naturalist)) with no type locality given, although it is thought likely to be Kerguelen Island.[{{Cof genus | genus = Notothenia | access-date = 25 September 2021}}] Richardson gave it the specific name ''rossii'' which honours [James Clark Ross](/source/James_Clark_Ross), the leader of the [Ross expedition](/source/Ross_expedition), a scientific expedition by the vessels [HMS ''Erebus''](/source/HMS_Erebus_(1826)) and [HMS ''Terror''](/source/HMS_Terror_(1813)) to survey and explore the coasts of Antarctica.[{{cite web | url = https://etyfish.org/perciformes7/ | title = Order Perciformes: Suborder Notothenoididei: Families Bovichtidae, Pseaudaphritidae, Elegopinidae, Nototheniidae, Harpagiferidae, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, Channichthyidae and Percophidae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1= Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp |date = 12 April 2021 | access-date = 23 September 2021 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara}}]
==Description==
The marbled rockcod can reach a length of {{convert|92|cm|in|abbr=on}}, though a more common length is around {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The greatest recorded weight for this species is {{convert|10|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. The [dorsal fin](/source/dorsal_fin) is divided in two parts, with four to seven spines in the front portion and 32 to 36 soft rays in the long, back portion. The [anal fin](/source/anal_fin) has 26 to 30 soft rays.[ The colour and pattern varies but it is typically dark brown with dark marbling on the upper body, paler on the lower body. The first dorsal fin has a dark spot in the membrane between each spine. The juveniles are yellowish or golden in colour during their benthic phase while the pelagic juveniles are silvery.][{{cite book | editor1 = O. Gon | editor2 = P.C. Heemstra | name-list-style = and | year = 1990 | title = Fishes of the Southern Ocean | author1 = H.H. Dewitt | author2 = P.C. Heemstra | author3 = O. Gon | publisher = South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | isbn = 9780868102115 | chapter = Nototheniidae Notothens | url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/240475#page/300/mode/1up}}]
==Distribution==
The marbled rockcod's range includes the northern end of the [Antarctic Peninsula](/source/Antarctic_Peninsula), the [Scotia Arc](/source/Scotia_Arc), [Prince Edward Islands](/source/Prince_Edward_Islands), [Crozet Islands](/source/Crozet_Islands), [Kerguelen Islands](/source/Kerguelen_Islands), [Heard Island](/source/Heard_Island_and_McDonald_Islands) and [Macquarie Island](/source/Macquarie_Island), as well as the [Ob Bank](/source/Ob_Bank), and [Lena Bank](/source/Lena_Bank).[
==Biology==
Marbled rockcod females become sexually mature at about six years of age. Along with mature males they move into the deeper water of the [continental shelf](/source/continental_shelf). Spawning takes place once a year and the young fish stay mostly in shallow water in the fiords and bays, feeding mainly on [zooplankton](/source/zooplankton). Males can live for up to twelve years.][
==Fisheries==
The marbled rockcod was heavily fished by [Soviet](/source/Soviet) fishers during the 1960s and 1970s, with catches exceeding 100,000 tonnes in some seasons; it almost disappeared from around [South Georgia Island](/source/South_Georgia_Island), and by 1980, was depleted throughout the Southern Ocean.][{{Cite web|url = http://www.lighthouse-foundation.org/index.php?id=90&L=1|title = Large-scale commercial marine harvesting|publisher = Lighthouse Foundation|access-date = 23 July 2013}}] It took the population 20 years to show signs of recovery.[{{cite journal | first1 = Phillip | last1 = Hollyman | last2 = Hill | first2 = Simeon L. | last3 = Lapitkhovksy | first3 = Vladminir V. | last4 = Belchier | first4 = Mark | last5 = Gregory | first5 = Sue | last6 = Clement | first6 = Alice | last7 = Collins | first7 = Martin A | display-authors = 3 | year = 2021 | title = A long road to recovery: dynamics and ecology of the marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii) at South Georgia, 50 years after over-exploitation | journal = ICES Journal of Marine Science | volume = fsab150 | doi = 10.1093/icesjms/fsab150| doi-access = free }}]
==References==
* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, ''Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand'', (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) {{ISBN|0-00-216987-8}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q571437}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marbled rockcod}}
Category:Notothenia
Category:Fish of the Southern Ocean
Category:Fauna of the Crozet Islands
Category:Fauna of the Kerguelen Islands
Category:Fauna of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Category:Fish described in 1844
Category:Taxa named by John Richardson (naturalist)
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marbled rockcod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbled_rockcod) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbled_rockcod?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.