Cold Water
Wolf Eel
Anarrhichthys ocellatus · Bony fish, family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes); an elongated wolffish, not a true eel
Wolf-eels are the gargoyles of the Pacific Northwest (huge gray heads, swollen jowls, teeth like broken crockery) and among its gentlest residents. Not true eels but elongated wolffishes, they pair long-term and share a den, sometimes two faces stacked in one crevice watching the water column go by. The crushing dentition is for urchins, crabs, and clams; divers get curiosity instead, and pairs at well-known dens will ease halfway out to inspect visitors. Juveniles look like a different species, burnt orange with a purple sheen, swimming open water before settling into rock. The old practice of hand-feeding urchins to resident pairs has faded for good reason: fed animals lose caution, and teeth meet fingers by accident. Come in low and off to one side, and let a swimming wolf-eel pass; it is likely commuting between dens.
Onde e quando ver um
"Residente" significa que a maioria dos mergulhos naquele destino os encontra; "sazonal" significa presença confiável nos meses listados; qualquer outra coisa é um bônus, não um plano.
| Destino | Fiabilidade | Meses | Notas |
|---|---|---|---|
| British ColumbiaCanada | Resident: seen on most dives | Todo o ano |
Melhor mês, em resumo
| Mês | Destinos fiáveis |
|---|---|
| January | British Columbia |
| February | British Columbia |
| March | British Columbia |
| April | British Columbia |
| May | British Columbia |
| June | British Columbia |
| July | British Columbia |
| August | British Columbia |
| September | British Columbia |
| October | British Columbia |
| November | British Columbia |
| December | British Columbia |
Entendendo-os
Habitat: Rocky reef dens, wrecks, and boulder jumbles; established pairs keep the same crevice for years, at depths divers visit and far below.
Distribuição: North Pacific: from southern California through British Columbia and Alaska to the Sea of Japan.
Comportamento: Pairs share a den long-term, often with both heads visible at the entrance; juveniles are orange with a purple sheen and swim open water before settling. Resident pairs grow tolerant of familiar divers.
Dieta: Sea urchins, crabs, clams, and snails crushed with heavy molar-like teeth and powerful jaws.
Tamanho: normalmente cerca de 1.8 m; documentado até 2.4 m (total length).
Como se comportar perto de um
Approach a den low and slightly to one side, skip the old urchin hand-feeding routine entirely, and give a free-swimming animal the lane: it is commuting, not fleeing.
Conservação
Not a fishery target and not considered broadly threatened; den fidelity makes known pairs locally precious and easy to disturb.
Pontos mapeados conhecidos por eles
Os locais destacados foram cartografados para esta espécie pelos nossos editores; os números são registos de ocorrência do GBIF num raio de cerca de 5 km do local desde 1990.
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