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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Anarhichadidae (Wolffishes)
Etymology: Anarhichas: Greek, anarhichaomai = to climb up.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 25 - 600 m (Ref. 35388), usually 100 - 400 m. Temperate, preferred 2°C (Ref. 107945); 81°N - 42°N, 71°W - 59°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Northwest Atlantic: western Greenland and Nova Scotia in Canada to Massachusetts in USA and perhaps to New Jersey, USA (Ref. 7251). Northeast Atlantic: Spitsbergen southward to Scandinavian coasts (to about Bergen, also Iceland and south-eastern coasts of Greenland.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 50 - 60 cm
Max length : 180 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4694); max. published weight: 27.9 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Coloration greyish brown with many distinct spots on body and dorsal fin (Ref. 35388).

Inhabits offshore waters over soft bottoms, often with boulders, from 25-590 m, but most common from 100-400 m (Ref. 4694). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds mainly on echinoderms, but also crustaceans, mollusks, fishes (Ref. 4694) and worms (Ref. 58426). In Barents sea, it reached at least 80 cm, age 9 years. Marketed fresh or as frozen fillets. Leather can be made of the skin (Ref. 35388).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Spawning happens between the months of September and January at 250 m depth. Females lay great egg bunches in nests built on the ground. The size of the eggs increases with the size of the female. Egg size 5-6 mm, larval length at hatching 21-24 mm.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Barsukov, V.V., 1986. Anarhichadidae. p. 1113-1116. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. volume 3. UNESCO, Paris. (Ref. 4694)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

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Internet sources

Anarhichas minor Olafsen, 1772