Fish · GBIF taxon 2336521
Lingcod
Ophiodon elongatusAlso known as Buffalo Cod, Cultus Cod, Buckethead
Lingcod are formidable ambush predators that inhabit the rocky reefs and kelp forests of the eastern Pacific coast. Equipped with a cavernous mouth lined with needle-sharp teeth, they burst from rocky crevices to seize fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. During winter, territorial males fast for up to two months while aggressively defending massive egg clutches deposited by visiting females.
MarinePredatoryReef Dweller
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pacific Herring
- Copper Rockfish
- Giant Pacific Octopus
Predators
- Steller Sea Lion
- Harbor Seal
- Killer Whale
ThreatsCommercial bottom trawling, recreational overfishing, and habitat degradation
HabitatsSubtidal rocky reefs, kelp beds, and continental shelf drop-offs
Life span14–20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderScorpaeniformes
- FamilyHexagrammidae
- GenusOphiodon
- SpeciesOphiodon elongatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Possesses sharp teeth and powerful jaws; handle landed fish with care to avoid severe lacerations.
- Why it is dangerous
- Large, sharp canine teeth and strong jaw musculature can slice deep into skin and soft tissue during handling.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a mottled brown or turquoise body, large head, and a cavernous mouth lined with prominent sharp fangs.
- What to do
- Secure landed fish with a lip grip tool or mesh net; never reach inside the mouth or gill plates.
Responsible observation
- Diver Distance: Give nesting males extra space during winter egg-guarding periods.
- Angler Handling: Use long-handled pliers to extract hooks rather than placing fingers near the mouth.
Neighbor no rights reserved, uploaded by Alex Heyman · cc0
Prey (c) Steve Ryan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Competitor "Giant Pacific Octopus" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Same Family (c) Rand Workman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Rand Workman · cc-by-sa
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