Family Anarhichadidae - Wolffishes
Order : Perciformes/Zoarcoidei Anarhichadidae Anarhichadidae
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

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

Ref.
[ e.g. 9948 ]
Glossary
[ e.g. oophagy ]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Anarhichadidae as currently in FishBase

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.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Anarhichas lupus Linnaeus, 1758
acceptedseniororiginal
Anarhichas lupus lupus Linnaeus, 1758
synonymseniorchange in rank
synonymjuniororiginal
! Anarrhicas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867
synonymjuniororiginal
! Anarrhichas vomerinus Agassiz, 1867
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas minor Olafsen, 1772
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
! Anarhicas karrak Bonnaterre, 1788
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas karrak Bonnaterre, 1788
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas maculatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas scansor Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymjuniororiginal
! Anarrhichas leopardus Agassiz, 1831
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas leopardus Agassiz, 1831
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Anarrichas fasciatus Bleeker, 1872
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Lycichthys denticulatus (Krøyer, 1845)
synonymseniornew
! Anarrhichas latifrons Steenstrup & Hallgrimsson, 1876
synonymjuniororiginal
Anarhichas latifrons Steenstrup & Hallgrimsson, 1876
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Lycichthys parvodens Lühmann, 1954
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Anarhichas ocellatus (Ayres, 1855)
synonymseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Anarrhichas felis Girard, 1854
synonymotheroriginal
Anarrhichthys felis Girard, 1858
synonymjuniororiginal
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