Wolf eel images skin#

They reach sexual maturity around the age of seven years old. When they find their mate, they will also find a den and live there together. Most times, these fish will mate for life. Their jaws clamp down and crush their foods. They also eat softer foods such as other fish or squid. The powerful jaws of these fish allow them to eat animals with a hard shell, such as crabs, sea urchins, sand dollars, abalone, mussels, and clams. They are also negatively impacted by pollution. However, they do sometimes accidentally get caught in fishing nets or other fishing gear, which can kill them. They are sometimes fished for, but because they are larger and generally stay well below the surface, they are not very easy to catch. These fish also face threats caused by humans. Eggs are also targeted by other fish, such as Rockfish and Kelp Greenling. The juvenile may face additional predators since they are not as large as adults.

These include Harbor Seals, Sharks, and other big fish. Wolf Eel Predators and Prey What Threats do Wolf Eels Face?

While it is unclear what the total population is, their numbers seem to be stable. Once they are old enough to mate, they will find a den with their partner and live there for the rest of their life. However, while they are still young, juveniles choose to swim around in more open water. They turn these areas into a den, where they spend much of their time hiding out and looking for prey. They can often be found in caves or small crevices along rocks or pilings.

They are found in saltwater.Īdults choose to spend most of their time in tighter, more enclosed spaces. They can be found as deep as 741 feet below the surface. These fish may swim in shallower waters or deeper waters. They can be found as far west as Russia down to the Sea of Japan in the south. They range from Baja California to Kodiak Island, Alaska. These fish can be found along the Pacific coast of North America. Greg Amptman/ Wolf Eel Distribution, Population, and Habitat Wolf eel are the largest of the blenny family and not a true eel The specific pattern of these spots is also determined by the gender. They also have dark spots along the backside of their body. When they are first born, these fish have a bright orange coloring, but their color will fade to green, gray, or brown as they age. The gender of a Wolf Eel will determine its coloring, with males being grayer and females being browner. Older Wolf Eels are gray, green, or brownish-gray in color. They have a small caudal fi and no pelvic fins. Their skeleton is made up of between 228 and 250 fishbones that are flexible. The Wolf Eel is a fish with one dorsal fin that goes nearly the whole length of their body. Like other fish, they have pectoral fins and pairs of gill slits. This animal is actually a fish, not an eel. The Wolf Eel’s name may be a bit deceiving. Including the Wolf Eel, there are five different species of fish included in this family, also known as the Wolffish family. The Wolf Eel belongs to the Actinopterygii class and the family Anarhichadidae. This is the largest order of vertebrates and over 40% of all bony fish are included in this order. The Wolf Eel is part of the order Perciformes. Only The Top 1% Can Ace our Animal Quizzes Think You Can? Take Our Brand New A-Z-Animals Fish Quiz Ocellatus is a Latin term that refers to the spot on the Wolf Eel that looks like eyes. Anarrhichthys is a Greek word that means fish. The scientific name of the Wolf Eel is Anarrhichthys ocellatus. Wolf Eel Classification and Scientific Name The slime acts as a protective coating and functions similarly to a human’s immune system.

Wolf eel images skin#

A layer of slim covers the skin of a Wolf Eel.

Over time, this color will fade to brown, gray, or green.

When they are first born, Wolf Eels have bright orange coloring.

Both parents contribute to keeping the eggs safe over the 13 to 16 weeks when they are developing.

Wolf Eels are fish that often mate for life.

This means that they can flex their body, making it possible for them to get into tighter spaces.

The skeleton of a Wolf Eel is cartilaginous.

Wolf Eels are very large fish they can be up to eight feet long and weigh around 40 pounds. It was given this name because of its powerful jaws and sharp teeth that it uses to crush hard-shelled creatures, such as crabs and abalone. The Wolf Eel mates for life and prefers to spend its time in tight caves and crevices.ĭespite its name, the Wolf Eel is actually a fish.