United Kingdom Burbot European geographic distribution Recent genetic analysis suggests the geographic pattern of burbot may indicate multiple species or subspecies, making this single taxon somewhat misleading. They are fairly common in Lake Erie, but are also found in the other Great Lakes. Burbot are most common in streams and lakes of North America and Europe. In North America, burbot range from the Seward Peninsula in Alaska to New Brunswick along the Atlantic Coast. Populations are continuous from France across Europe and Asia to the Bering Strait. Having such small fins relative to body size indicates a benthic lifestyle with low swimming endurance, unable to withstand strong currents.īurbot have circumpolar distribution above 40°N.

The caudal fin is rounded, the pectoral fins are fan-shaped, and pelvic fins are narrow with an elongated second fin ray. The anal fin is low and almost as long as the dorsal fin. Burbot have two soft dorsal fins, with the first being low and short, and the second being much longer. The mouth is wide, with both upper and lower jaws having many small teeth. The body is elongated and laterally compressed, with a flattened head and single, tube-like projection for each nostril. With an appearance like a cross between a catfish and an eel, the burbot has a serpent-like body, but is easily distinguished by a single barbel on the chin. This section needs expansion with: description/data about which stages of life, this fish/variations are found scaled/leathered/combination. Its generic and specific names, Lota lota, comes from the old French lotte fish, which is also named 'barbot' in Old French. The name burbot comes from the Latin word barba, meaning beard, referring to its single chin whisker, or barbel. For some time of the year, the burbot lives under ice, and it requires frigid temperatures to breed. The species is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk.

It is also known as bubbot, mariah, loche, cusk, freshwater cod, freshwater ling, freshwater cusk, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod, and eelpout. The burbot ( Lota lota) is the only gadiform (cod-like) freshwater fish.

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