Common ling

Common ling
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Gadiformes
Family:	Lotidae
Genus:	Molva
Species:	M. molva
Binomial name
Molva molva (Linnaeus, 1758)[2]
Molva molva range map.
Synonyms
Gadus molva Linnaeus, 1758 Molva vulgaris Fleming, 1828 Gadus raptor Nilsson, 1832 Molva linnei Malm, 1877 Lota mola Moreau, 1881

The common ling (Molva molva), also known as the white ling or simply the ling, is a large member of the family Lotidae, a group of cod-like fishes. It resembles the related rocklings, but it is much larger and has a single barbel. This species is unrelated to the pink ling, Genypterus blacodes, from the Southern Hemisphere. The common ling is found in the northern Atlantic, mainly off Europe, and into the Mediterranean Basin. It is an important quarry species for fisheries, especially in the northeastern Atlantic, although some doubts exist as to the sustainability of the fisheries. As an edible species, it is eaten fresh, frozen, or dried, but also preserved in lye, while the roe is a delicacy in Spain.