Bering wolffish

The Bering wolffish (Anarhichas orientalis) is a marine fish in the family Anarhichadidae, the "wolffish".[1]

Bering wolffish
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Anarhichadidae
Genus:
Anarhichas
Species:
A. orientalis
Binomial name
Anarhichas orientalis
Pallas, 1814
Synonyms

Anarhichas lepturus Bean, 1879
Anarrhichas lepturus Bean, 1879
Anarrichas fasciatus Bleeker, 1873

Description

The Bering wolffish has an elongate and laterally compressed body, with a thin caudal peduncle. It has a steep snout, and, like other wolffish, has long, canine teeth that protrude out past the tips of the jaws.[2]

It can grow to 112 cm and 15 kg in weight, is dark brown in colour and lacks any distinct markings other than some slight blotching or palish marbling.[3] The head of juveniles may have multiple dark spots and four to five dark coloured longitudinal stripes on the upper body.[2]

The head length is approximately 19 to 21 percent of the total body length.

This species differs from the five other species in the genus in having at least 53 anal rays, 81 to 86 dorsal fin spines, and more rounded, deeper caudal fins.[2]

Distribution

The Bering wolffish species has an inconsistent distribution. It is found from the Northeastern Pacific Ocean from Hokkaido to the Sea of Okhotsk, to Alaska. Although insufficiently documented, it is also known to occur across the Northwestern Pacific, the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean.[2]

Habitat

The Bering wolffish lives on rocky, gravel and sandy substrates,[3] and algae-encrusted bottoms in shallow, inshore locations.[2]

Behaviour

Bering wolffishes are known to practice nesting habits. They produce very big eggs which hatch into larvae remaining in the pelagic zone.[2]

Diet

Benthic invertebrates such as crabs and molluscs.[2][3]

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References
  1. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Anarhichas orientalis Pallas, 1814". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  2. "Information archivée dans le Web | Information Archived on the Web" (PDF). Publications.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  3. "Bering Wolffish - Anarhichas orientalis". Polarlife.ca. Retrieved 2016-04-22.

Further reading
  • Fruge, D.J., and Wiswar, D.W. 1991. First records of the Bering Wolffish, Anarhichas orientalis, for the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105(1):107-109.
  • Kobayashi, K. 1961. Young of the wolf-fish Anarhichas orientalis Pallas. Bulletin of the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, 12(1): 1-4.
  • Smith, T.G. 1977. The Wolffish, cf. Anarhichas orientalis, new to the Amundsen Gulf Area, Northwest Territories, and a probable prey of the Ringed Seal. Canadian Field-Naturalist 91(3):288.
  • Houston, J., and D.E. McAllister. 1990. Status of the Bering Wolffish, Anarhichas orientalis, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 104 (1): 20-23.
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