Lota lota

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Vulnerability
Least Concern Species of least concern

Information

The only member of the family which lives in freshwater. Crepuscular and nocturnal. Found in well oxygenated flowing waters and large lakes. Occurs from estuaries of large lowland rivers as well as from small mountain streams, preferring deep waters in summer. Also inhabit deep lakes and large rivers with slow-moving current. Seek shelter under rocks, in crevices on the river banks, among roots of trees and dense vegetation. Smaller individuals feed on insect larvae, crayfish, mollusks and other invertebrates, fish. Source of oil. Sold mainly salted. Liver is sold smoked or canned in Europe. Processed into fishmeal. Locally threatened due to river regulation.

Localization

Circumarctic in freshwater. Europe: Loire drainage, France eastward to White, Barents and Arctic Sea basins; upper Volga drainage; western Caspian basin; rivers draining to Black Sea; Rhône drainage; in Italy native only in Po drainage; eastward England. In Siberia eastward to River Lena.

Environment

Marine

Additional information

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