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Is Cusk-eel kosher?

No — Cusk-eel is not kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Not kosher. Cusk-eels are elongated, scaleless fish.

Cusk-eel (Ophidiidae)

Image: Photo by NOAA/ MBARI · licensed Public domain · source

Scientific name
Ophidiidae
Also known as
Cusk eel
Category
scaleless
Fins & scales
Fins ✓ , no scales ✗
Kosher status
Not kosher

About Cusk-eel

Eel-like fish of the family Ophidiidae, distinct from true eels but similarly disqualified. The cusk-eel family, Ophidiidae, is a group of marine bony fishes in the Ophidiiformes order. The scientific name is from the Greek ophis meaning "snake", and refers to their eel-like appearance. True eels diverged from other ray-finned fish during the Jurassic, while cusk-eels are part of the Percomorpha clade, along with tuna, perch, seahorses, and others. The oldest fossil cusk-eel is Ampheristus, a highly successful genus with numerous species that existed from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to the early Oligocene. The cusk-eel family, Ophidiidae, is a group of marine bony fishes in the Ophidiiformes order. The scientific name is from the Greek ophis meaning "snake", and refers to their eel-like appearance. True eels diverged from other ray-finned fish during the Jurassic, while cusk-eels are part of the Percomorpha clade, along with tuna, perch, seahorses, and others. The oldest fossil cusk-eel is Ampheristus, a highly successful genus with numerous species that existed from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to the early Oligocene. Distribution Cusk-eels live in temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world. They live close to the sea bottom, ranging from shallow water to the hadal zone. One species, Abyssobrotula galatheae, was recorded at the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench, making it the deepest recorded fish at 8,370 m (27,460 ft). Ecology Cusk-eels are generally very solitary in nature, but some species have been seen to associate themselves with tube worm communities. Liking to be hidden when they are not foraging, they generally associate themselves within muddy bottoms, sinkholes, or larger structures that they can hide in or around, such as caves, coral crevices,...

Kosher ruling

Not kosher. Cusk-eels are elongated, scaleless fish.

Source: Orthodox Union; Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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