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Species

Capelin

Mallotus villosus

Mallotus villosus, the capelin, is a small schooling forage fish that feeds on plankton and small crustaceans.

Ecoregions
Norwegian Current
Ecoregion types
Polar & Subpolar
Trophic levels
Secondary Consumer

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About this species

Species identity

Mallotus villosus, the capelin, is a small schooling forage fish that feeds on plankton and small crustaceans. It is a key energy-transfer species in northern oceans because many fish, seabirds, seals, and whales depend on it.

Where it lives

Capelin occurs in subarctic and Arctic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. In the Norwegian and Barents Sea region it is especially important as a forage fish tied to current-driven plankton production.

Role in the ecosystem

Capelin helps explain how marine food webs function through its ecological role, habitat use, and connection to broader ecosystem change.

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