Species learning profile
Wolf eel
Anarrhichthys ocellatus
Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) is a saltwater fish associated with reef habitat in North Pacific. Mated pairs may share a den and guard their egg mass together.
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At a glance
- Water
- Salt water
- Habitat
- Reef
- Maximum length
- 240 cm
- Range
- North Pacific
- Family
- Anarhichadidae
- Order
- Perciformes
Observe
How to identify Wolf eel
- Mated pairs may share a den and guard their egg mass together.
- Guide context: reef habitat in North Pacific.
- Reported maximum length: 240 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with reef habitat across North Pacific. Reef crevices provide shelter while current, coral, algae, and neighboring animals supply food.
Behavior
Crushes hard prey around a rocky den
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Sea urchins, crabs, mussels, and clams.
Ecological role
Controls populations of grazing invertebrates.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Mated pairs may share a den and guard their egg mass together.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Reef fish are affected by coral loss, warming, destructive fishing, pollution, and the removal of key grazers or predators.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Wolf eel in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections