Remarks on horizontal and vertical distribution of family Gadidae, Lotidae and Phycidae representatives in the eastern Adriatic

Abstract

       The presence of four genera, four species and one subspecies of family Gadidae, two genera and four species of family Lotidae and two genera and two species of family Phycidae was established with certainty for the Adriatic. These families include species of different distribution in the Adriatic and of different ecological preferences. Some of these species are common and abundant fishes in the Adriatic Sea while some are rare with a very restricted distribution area. The species Trisopterus minutus is most widespread in the Adriatic, followed by Merlangius merlangus found in all shallower areas (particularly the northern Adriatic area), and Micromesistius poutassou, Phycis phycis, Phycis blennoides and Gaidropsarus mediterraneus mainly in the middle and southern Adriatic. Molva macrophthalma is however distributed only in the southern Adriatic. Of all the species in concerning, six show bathyphilous trend, distributed mainly in the area of continental slope or bathyal (bellow 200 m depth) and four species occur almost exclusively in the area of continental shelf that is down to 200 m. As to the substratum, most of the species prefer muddy bottoms rather than sandy and muddy – sandy bottoms.