WOLFFISH

any of nine species of large, long-bodied blennies of the family Anarhichadidae (order Perciformes), found in northern Atlantic and Pacific waters. Wolffishes are much larger than most other blennies, the largest species growing to a length of about 2.3 m (7.5 feet). Wolffishes have a large head and a long, tapered body surmounted by a single, long dorsal fin. Their formidable teeth consist of large canines and heavy molars capable of handling a diet of crabs, starfishes, sea urchins, and other prey. Wolffishes are found from the shoreline to depths of 300 m or more. Known as catfishes in Europe, they are taken there and in the United States for food. Species include the wolffish (Anarhichas lupus), a vertically banded North Atlantic species; the spotted wolffish, or spotted catfish ( A. minor), also of the North Atlantic; and the wolf-eel (Anarhichthys ocellatus), a black-spotted form found in the eastern Pacific.