Vertebrate Zoology - V. M. Konstantinov 2011

Chordates
Gnathostomes
Class Osteichthyes - Subclass Actinopterygii - Supercohort Teleostei - Order Gadiformes

Gadiformes are a diverse and commercially vital group of fish, comprising about 700 species. Typically medium- to large-sized with soft-rayed fins, they are primarily distributed in temperate and Arctic seas. Many species venture into brackish estuarine waters and even rivers; Examples include the navaga, the polar cod, and the saffron cod. Their lifestyle is predominantly benthic. The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Russian waters is found in the Baltic, Barents, and White seas, as well as the northern seas of the Far East. Highly migratory, it spawns mainly near the Lofoten Islands and the coast of the Kola Peninsula. After spawning, it migrates to the eastern Barents Sea to feed on oceanic banks (shallow areas of the seafloor). Cod possess an immense reproductive capacity, releasing between 2.5 and 10 million eggs. Alongside cod, notable species include the haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), pollock (Pollachius virens), Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), all of which are important targets for trawl fisheries in northern waters. The harvesting of cod-like Fishes utilizes not only their meat but also their Liver oil, which is rich in Vitamin D and widely known as medicinal fish oil.

The navaga (Eleginus navaga) is widespread in the northern seas and the Russian Far East. In winter, it frequently enters river mouths, where it is actively fished.

The burbot (Lota lota) is the only freshwater representative of the order, inhabiting the rivers of Eurasia and North America.