Male-cod Official

: During spawning, males exhibit significantly higher activity levels than females, often dwelling deeper (typically >20 m) where they engage in territorial and agonistic (aggressive) behaviors.

: Successful courtship concludes with a ventral mount , where the male swims beneath the female, grasping her with his pelvic fins to release sperm as she releases eggs. Morphological and Genetic Traits male-cod

Is cod lekking or a promiscuous group spawner? - Nordeide - 2000 : During spawning

The male cod's role in the Atlantic cod mating system is characterized by high levels of energy expenditure and competitive interaction. male-cod