Scientific Name
Anarhichas minor

Common Name
Spotted wolffish

Biology
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).

Classification

Classified By

Olafsen, 1772

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Wolffishes (Anarhichadidae)

Distribution

Region

Northwest Atlantic

Distribution

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.

Range

81°N - 42°N, 71°W - 59°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

25 m

Depth To - meters

600 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 25 - 600 m (Ref. 35388), usually 100 - 400 m

Trophic Level

3.45 s.e. 0.43 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

180 cm

Common Length

120 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5938 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Very high vulnerability (80 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.06-0.13; tm=8; Fec=4,200-35,200)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated