# Hake (*Merluccius merluccius*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/merluccius-merluccius  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The hake (Merluccius merluccius) is a bony fish in the family Merlucciidae, subfamily Merlucciinae, within the order Gadiformes. Other English names for this fish are blue ling, lesser ling, herring hake, European hake and Cornish salmon. It has a body length of 1.1 m and a lifespan of 20 years. The IUCN Red List global assessment lists the hake as Least Concern, which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 1.1 m |
| Lifespan | 20 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Gadiformes
- family: Merlucciidae
- genus: Merluccius
- species: *Merluccius merluccius* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Gadus byrkelange*, *Gadus merluccius*, *Gadus ruber*, *Hidronus marlucius*, *Hydronus marlucius*, *Merluccius argentatus*, *Merluccius esculentus*, *Merluccius linnei*, *Merluccius merluccius merluccius*, *Merluccius smiridus*, *Merluccius vulgaris*, *Merluccius vulgaris*, *Merlucius esculentus*, *Merlucius lanatus*, *Merlucius sinuatus*, *Merlucius vulgaris*, *Molva byrkelange*, *Onus riali*, *Trachinoides maroccanus*, *Trachinoides moroccanus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the hake?

The hake is a bony fish. It belongs to the family Merlucciidae in the order Gadiformes.

### How big is the hake?

The hake has a body length of 1.1 m.

### How long does the hake live?

The hake has a lifespan of 20 years.

### Is the hake endangered?

No. The hake is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List global assessment, which is not a threatened category.

### What is the scientific name of the hake?

The scientific name of the hake is Merluccius merluccius, in the genus Merluccius.

### Who named the hake and when?

The hake's scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

### What are other names for the hake?

Other English names for the hake are blue ling, lesser ling, herring hake, European hake and Cornish salmon.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Hake (Merluccius merluccius). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/merluccius-merluccius