Wolffish
D-Gestreifter Seewolf; GB-Wolffish, catfish, sea cat; DK-Havkat; PL-Zębacz pasiasty; LT-Paprastoji vilkžuvė; RU-Полосатая зубатка; FIN-Merikissa; S-Havskatt
Characters
1) Strong dentation with curved teeth in upper and lower jaw.
2) Larg, blunt head.
3) Body almost consistently getting smaller till caudal fin.
●) No pelvic fins.
●) Colouration grey, brown-red or bluish with dark stripes, extending to dorsal fin.
Usually 50 to 80 cm, max. up to 150 cm length.
Similar species
Butterfish - black eye-like spots on back; small pelvic fins present; remarkable smaller.
Biology
Lives bottom-orientated on soft or stony grounds, often in 100 to 150 m depth. Reaches sexual maturity with about 7 years. About 3.000 to 24.000 eggs are layed in small portions in-between stones and seaweed from October to January.Diet
Feeds mainly on hard-shelled bottom-living animals, like crustaceans, molluscs and sea urchins.Importance
Well-liked food fish, in Britain marketed as "Scotch halibut", "Scarborough woof", or, simply "woof"; a popular ingredient in fish and chips.Anarhichas lupus
