Wolf eel

The wolf eel was first formally described in 1855 by the American physician and ichthyologist William Orville Ayres with the type locality given as San Francisco Bay in California.{{Cof genus|genus=Anarrichthys|access-date=27 July 2022}} It is the only species in the monotypic genus Anarrichthys, which was also described by Ayres in 1855.{{Cof family|family=Anarhichadidae|access-date=27 July 2022}} This is one of two genera in the family Anarhichadidae, the other being Anarhichas.{{FishBase family | family = Anarhichadidae | month = November| year = 2016}}

The wolf eel’s genus name Anarrhichthys combines the wolffish genus Anarhichas, as this taxon has a similar head shape to the wolffishes, and ichthys, which means "fish". The specific name ocellatus means "ocellated", a reference to the eye-like spots, or ocelli, on the dorsal fin and body.{{cite web | url = http://etyfish.org/perciformes15/ | title = Order Perciformes: Suborder Cottoidea: Infraorder Zoarcales: Families: Anarhichadidae, Neozoarcidae, Eulophias, Stichaeidae, Lumpenidae, Ophistocentridae, Pholidae, Ptilichthyidae, Zaproridae, Cryptacanthodidae, Cebidichthyidae, Scytalinidae and Bathymasteridae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1= Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp |date = 4 July 2021 | access-date = 27 July 2022 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara}}

File:Wolf_Eel_at_Dallas_Children's_Aquarium.jpg]]

A. ocellatus differs from true eels, as they have paired gill slits and pectoral fins. The animal can grow up to {{convert|2.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} in length and {{convert|18.4|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in weight.

Younger wolf eels are orange with big dark spots in the posterior part of the body. Once older they turn grey, brown greyish or dark olive.{{Cite web|url=https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/fishes/wolf-eel|title=Wolf-eel, Reefs & Pilings, Fishes, Anarrhichthys ocellatus at the Monterey Bay Aquarium|website=Montereybayaquarium.org|access-date=2019-11-26}}

They possess powerful jaws with which they crush their prey: canine teeth in the front and molars in the posterior portion of the mouth. In the anal fin, it has no rays and 233 radials. It only has one dorsal fin, that extends from the head to the end of the body, with 228 to 250 flexible fishbones without soft radius. The caudal fin is small. It has no pelvic fins, nor a lateral line.{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/wolf-eel-bull-anarrhichthys-ocellatus.html|title=Wolf-eel • Anarrhichthys ocellatus|website=Centralcoastbiodiversity.org|access-date=21 July 2022}}

Males have large lips and a protuberance on the superior part of the head. The lifespan of this species is about 20 years.{{cite journal |last1=Beamish |first1=RJ |last2=McFarlane |first2=GA |last3=Benson |first3=A |date=2006 |title=Longevity overfishing |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248230868 |journal=Progress in Oceanography |volume=68 |issue=2–4 |pages=289–302 |doi=10.1016/j.pocean.2006.02.005 |bibcode=2006PrOce..68..289B |access-date=2022-07-16}}

Wolf eels have a monogamous relationship and tend to mate for life and live in the same cave. They reproduce from October until the end of winter, beginning when they are around seven years old. The male places his head against the female's abdomen and wraps around her, while she extrudes the eggs, up to 10,000 at a time, which he then fertilizes. She coils around the eggs, using her body to shape the eggs into a neat sphere, roughly the size of a grapefruit. The male then coils around her. Together they protect the eggs, and only one leaves the cave at a time, to feed. The eggs hatch after 91 to 112 days, and during this period, in order to ensure their oxygenation, the female circulates water around the eggs and periodically massages and rotates the eggs as they develop.{{Cite book|title=Parental care in intertidal fishes|last=Coleman|first=R. M.|publisher=Academic Press|year=1999|isbn=9780123560407|location=USA|pages=165–180}}{{Cite book|title=Probably More Than You Want to Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast|last=Love|first=M.|publisher=Really big press|year=1996|isbn=0962872555|location=California, USA}}

File:Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) in California.webm

A. ocellatus is found in caves, crevices and rocky reefs from shallow waters to a depth of {{convert|226|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ranging from the Sea of Japan and the Bering Sea to Northern California.

File:A small juvenile wolfeel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus).jpg

File:Wolf eel.png

Large wolf eels are curious{{Cite web |url=http://www.oceanlink.info/biodiversity/wolfeel.html |title=OceanLink | Biodiversity - Wolf Eel |access-date=2011-01-28 |archive-date=2010-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216194032/http://www.oceanlink.info/biodiversity/wolfeel.html |url-status=dead }} and are rarely aggressive, but are capable of inflicting painful bites on humans.

The male and female may pair for life and inhabit a cave together; the two watch their eggs together and one always stays behind when the other leaves to feed.Sempier, S. (2003). {{Cite web |url=http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/projects/msap/PS/masterlist/fish/wolfeel.html |title=Wolf Eel |access-date=July 13, 2009 |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720024358/http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/projects/msap/PS/masterlist/fish/wolfeel.html |url-status=dead }} Marine Species with Aquaculture Potential.

This eel-like fish feeds on invertebrates with hard shells (crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, clams) and some fishes, crushing them with its strong jaws. It has been observed in captivity that when they are fed soft food such as squid, they tend to prefer it over hard food, which can damage the back teeth.

The adult's predators are sharks, big fish and harbor seals.{{cite web |title=National Aquarium {{!}} Wolf Eel |website=National Aquarium |url=https://www.aqua.org/Experience/Animal-Index/wolf-eel |access-date=2019-11-26}}{{cite web |title=Wolf-eel |website=Alaska Sealife Center |url=https://www.alaskasealife.org/aslc_resident_species/44 |access-date=2019-11-27}} The eggs and juveniles can be threatened by more species. The juveniles are vulnerable as they are not very large and do not have powerful jaws. Fish such as rockfish and kelp greenling will prey on the juveniles.

The wolf eel has edible, sweet and savory white flesh. In some coastal northwest Native American tribes, the wolf eel was referred to as the sacred "doctorfish". Only the tribal healers were allowed to eat this fish, as it was supposed to enhance their healing powers.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons|Anarrhichthys ocellatus}}

• {{Cite web | url=http://www.nanfa.org/fif/wolfeel.shtml |title = Wolf Eel in Focus}}
• {{Cite web | url=http://www.metacafe.com/watch/378149/when_wolf_eels_attack/ |title = When Wolf Eels Attack}}
• [https://faunafolio.com/wolf-eel/ Facts About Wolf Eel]
• {{Cite web | url=http://vimeo.com/4189560 | title=The Wolf Eel}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q137431|from2=Q2063047}}

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Category:Anarhichadidae

Category:Fish described in 1855

Category:Taxa named by William Orville Ayres

Category:Seafood in Native American cuisine