Family Anarhichadidae - Wolffishes | ||||
Order | : | Perciformes/Zoarcoidei | ||
Class | : | Teleostei | ||
No. in FishBase | : | Genera : 2 | Species : 5 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes | ||
Environment | : | Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes | ||
Division | : | Marine | ||
Aquarium | : | none | ||
First Fossil Record | : | |||
Remark | : | Distribution: North Atlantic and North Pacific. Body mostly compressed and moderately elongate except one species Anarrhichthys ocellatus, is extremely elongate and for its shape goes by the common name wolf-eel. Dorsal fin long, starting at the head, and composed of 69-88 flexible spines in Anarhichas and 218-250 in Anarrhichthys. Anal fin with 42-55 soft rays in Anarhichas and 0-1 spine and 180-233 soft rays in Anarrhichthys. Caudal fin separated from dorsal and anal fins by a short peduncle in Anarhichas, median fins confluent and tapering to a point in Anarrhichthys. Pectoral fins large and rounded, with 18-24 rays. Pelvic fins absent. One pair of nostrils. Scales cycloid, minute and non-overlapping, or absent. Mechanosensory canals of head well developed, pores with age becoming overgrown: nasal 2, occipital 3-5, interorbital 1-2, postorbital 4-5, suborbital 7-9, preopercular 4, mandibular 3-4. One or two trunk lateral lines of superficial neuromasts, difficult to discern in preserved material. Most species have strong canines and molars for digging out and crushing clams and other hard-shelled prey. Gill membranes attached to the isthmus, gill openings widely separated. Branchiostegal rays 6-8. Swim bladder absent. Vertebrae 72-89 to 251. Primarily demersal, inhabiting shallow to moderately deep cold waters. Maximum length about 2. 5 m. Also Ref. 7463. | ||
Etymology | : | Greek, anarrhichesis, to climb, the action of climbing ( Ref. 45335). | ||
Reproductive guild | : | guarders | ||
Typical activity level | : | sluggish | ||
Main Ref. | : | Mecklenburg, C.W. 2003 | ||
Coordinator | : | |||
Deep Fin Classification | : | Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Eupercaria | | | Perciformes | Cottoidei | Zoarcales | Anarhichadidae |
Important recommendation:
The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.
Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.
But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.
Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.
This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).
The list ordered as follows:
Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.
Scientifc name | Status | Senior/Junior synonym | Combination |
---|---|---|---|
Anarhichas lupus Linnaeus, 1758 | accepted | senior | original |
Anarhichas lupus lupus Linnaeus, 1758 | synonym | senior | change in rank |
Anarhichas strigosus Gmelin, 1789 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhicas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhichas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas lupus marisalbi Barsukov, 1956 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas minor Olafsen, 1772 | accepted | senior | original |
! Anarrhichas pantherinus Zuiew, 1784 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhichas pantherinvs Zuiew, 1784 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarhicas karrak Bonnaterre, 1788 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas karrak Bonnaterre, 1788 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas maculatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas scansor Bloch & Schneider, 1801 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhichas leopardus Agassiz, 1831 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas leopardus Agassiz, 1831 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhicas steenstrupii Gill, 1861 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarhichas steenstrupii Gill, 1861 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhichas steenstrupii Gill, 1861 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas orientalis Pallas, 1814 | accepted | senior | original |
Anarrichas fasciatus Bleeker, 1872 | synonym | junior | original |
! Anarrhichas lepturus Bean, 1879 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas lepturus Bean, 1879 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas denticulatus Krøyer, 1845 | accepted | senior | original |
Lycichthys denticulatus (Krøyer, 1845) | synonym | senior | new |
! Anarrhichas latifrons Steenstrup & Hallgrimsson, 1876 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarhichas latifrons Steenstrup & Hallgrimsson, 1876 | synonym | junior | original |
Lycichthys paucidens Gill, 1905 | synonym | junior | original |
Lycichthys fortidens Gill, 1911 | synonym | junior | original |
Lycichthys parvodens Lühmann, 1954 | synonym | junior | original |
Anarrhichthys ocellatus Ayres, 1855 | accepted | senior | original |
Anarhichas ocellatus (Ayres, 1855) | synonym | senior | new |
! Anarhichthys ocellatus Ayres, 1855 | synonym | senior | original |
Anarrhichas felis Girard, 1854 | synonym | other | original |
Anarrhichthys felis Girard, 1858 | synonym | junior | original |