Its obtuse, eel-like body type makes the fish swim slowly, undulating from side to side, like an eel. The pectorals are large and rounded and the pelvic fins are entirely absent. An even dorsal fin extends the whole length of the back, and a similar fin from the vent to the caudal fin, as in blennies. Atlantic wolffish vary in color, usually seen as purplish-brown, a dull olive green, or blueish gray. Its body is long, subcylindrical in front, compressed in the caudal portion, smooth and slippery, the rudimentary scales being embedded and almost hidden in the skin. The largest specimen recorded measured 1.5 m (5 ft) long and weighed almost 18 kg (40 lb). The Atlantic wolffish has retained the bodily form and general external characteristics of small blennies (Blennioidei). The specific name lupus means ' wolf', one of the common names for these fishes is 'sea wolf', the name being given because of the canine-like front teeth.

When Linnaeus described it he classified it within the monotypic genus Anarhichas so today A. The Atlantic wolffish was first formally described in 1758 in the 10th edition of the Systema Naturae by Carl Linnaeus with its type locality given as the 'northern English Ocean'. Wolffish population success is also an important indicator of the health of other bottom-dweller populations, such as Atlantic cod. They are also an important factor in controlling green crab and sea urchin populations, which can become overly disruptive to habitats if left unchecked. Īpart from their unique appearance wolffish are distinguished by the natural antifreeze they produce to keep their blood moving fluidly in their very cold habitat, involvement by both the male and female in brood bearing, and the large size of their eggs. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service. The numbers of the Atlantic wolffish in US waters are rapidly being depleted, most likely due to overfishing and bycatch, and it is currently a Species of Concern according to the U.S. The Atlantic wolffish ( Anarhichas lupus), also known as the seawolf, Atlantic catfish, ocean catfish, devil fish, wolf eel (the common name for its Pacific relative), woof or sea cat, is a marine fish of the wolffish family Anarhichadidae, native to the North Atlantic Ocean. Anarhichas lupus marisalbi Barsukov 1956.

Sea wolf fish