Wolf-eels grab their prey, or animal hunted and killed for food, with their large front teeth and crush it with their molars. They hunt at dusk and dawn but also feed during the day. The young eat plankton.īehavior and reproduction: Wolf-eels hide and live alone or with a lifelong mate in a den. The young live in open water.ĭiet: Wolf-eels eat crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins, sand dollars, and snails. Habitat: Wolf-eels live on deep rocky reefs in caves or crevices. Geographic range: Wolf-eels live along the coast of North America from Alaska to California. The back teeth are molars like those of people. The front teeth are like dog or wolf teeth. The pelvic fins correspond to the rear legs of four-footed animals. The pectoral (PECKter-uhl) fins correspond to the front legs of four-footed animals. The anal fin is the one along the midline of the belly. The dorsal fin is the one along the midline of the back. The dorsal (DOOR-suhl) and anal (AY-nuhl) fins are very long and low the pectoral fins, large and fanlike. The scales are small and rounded and embedded in the skin. The body and head are covered with white-lined black spots. The background color is blue, greenish brown, or grayish brown. Physical characteristics: Wolf-eels have a long, snake-like body and reach a length of about 6 feet (2 meters). WOLF-EEL ( Anarrhichthys ocellatus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS CONSERVATION STATUSĮelpouts and their relatives are not threatened or endangered. EELPOUTS, THEIR RELATIVES, AND PEOPLEĮxcept for wolf-eels, eelpouts and their relatives are not fished for food or fun. Some eelpout relatives guard their nests. Most of the nearshore eelpouts and their relatives spawn during the day, when they can see one another for courting. In other species, eggs are fertilized as they are laid in clusters. In some species eggs are fertilized (FUR-teh-lyzed), or joined to sperm to start development, inside the female and then are laid. Scientists know little about the reproduction of eelpouts and their relatives. During the winter in colder regions species that live near the shore may travel into deeper water to avoid freezing. Most eelpouts and their relatives live alone and hide but may gather for a short time in shelters or around food sources. Some eat only algae (AL-jee), which are plantlike growths that live in water and have no true roots, stems, or leaves. Most eelpouts and their relatives hunt for worms, clams, sea urchins, smaller fishes, sea snails, crabs, hermit crabs, starfish, jellyfishes, and plankton, which is microscopic plants and animals drifting in water. Other species live as far as 2 miles (4,000 meters) deep in the ocean. Some live in rocky reefs in seaweed and keep well hidden by day. Some eelpouts and their relatives live above the high tide line in rock pools, burrowing in sand or gravel beaches. GEOGRAPHIC RANGEĮelpouts and their relatives live all over the world from the Arctic to Antarctica. Eelpouts are usually gray, brown, black, or purple and have spots of various colors. The wolf-eel is the largest fish in this group, reaching a length of 80 inches (2 meters). They usually are less than 16 inches (40 centimeters) long, but some reach a length of 24 inches (60 centimeters). Most eelpouts and their relatives are shaped like eels. _OCEAN POUT ( Zoarces americanus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS On average, sports fishermen catch around 200 wolf eels per year.EELPOUTS AND RELATIVES: Zoarcoidei WOLF-EEL ( Anarrhichthys ocellatus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Sportsmen also enjoy hunting the fish because of its large size and fearsome appearance. Even though there is no wolf eel industry, fishermen target the fish for its delicate white flesh. Wolf Eels are popular targets among hunters Non-commercial fishermen frequently hunt wolf eels, both legally and illegally.And trawler nets sweeping through reefs destroy coral habitats. The crab and octopus industries have depleted wolf eel habitats of the eel’s primary food sources. Thus, it is common for wolf eels to become trapped in crab traps while hunting. Wolf eels feed on crustaceans, such as crabs. Commercial fishing deprives wolf eels of food and habitats Even though there is no commercial industry for fishing wolf eels, they are still hurt by the commercial crabbing industry.Wolf eels are not considered an endangered species. However, their population has likely been declining for several years. Commercial fisheries do not target wolf eels, but human activity has been hurting the wolf eel population for decades.
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