Common mora (Mora moro)

Scientific name: Mora moro Risso, 1810

The Common mora (Mora moro) is a marine fish of the family Moridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 54-59; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Eyes relatively large, greater than snout length in diameter. Anal fin originating near midlength of body, deeply indented at midlength, sometimes appearing as two. Ventral light organ absent. Color is generally gray.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Mora moro
Family: Moridae (Morid cods)
Order: Gadiformes (Cods)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 80.0
Common length: 45.0
Depth range: 450–2500 m (1476–8202 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 450 - 2500 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: Iceland and Faeroes to Cape Bojador, West Africa, and including Azores, Madeira, and western Mediterranean. Also known from the Walvis and Vavilov ridges. Reported from Mauritania. Western Indian Ocean: in the region south of Madagascar. Pacific Ocean: temperate Australia, New Zealand, and between Valparaiso, Chile and the Juan Fernandez Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tm>4)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026