Wolf Eel, Anarrhichthys ocellatus
Family Anarchichadidae
Range: Northern Baja California, Mexico to the Aleutian Island Chain in Alaska.
Depth: Barely subtidal to 740 feet (Love, 1996). Rocky reef and shoreline, usually lives within a caves or crevices known as dens.
Max Size: 8 feet and 18 kg. Can live to be approximately 25 years of age. Begin mating at approximately 4 years when they will find a mate who they will generally stay with for life, taking turns caring for their young.
Diet: Quite friendly to divers, and known to eat red rock crabs, red urchins, green urchins, other crabs, scallops and mussels. Jaws with large teeth and amazing crushing power.
Interesting facts: Some coastal first nations prized wolf eels as the “doctorfish” or mukah. Only the medicine man was permitted to eat the flesh so that he could enhance his healing powers.
Sexual dimorphisms: Adult males with whitish head, females darker.
Sources
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/zaheerk.htm
http://www.seaotter.com/marine/research/anarrhichthys/ocellatus/html/female-wolf.jpg.html
