wolffish

wolffish
/woolf"fish'/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) wolffish, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) wolffishes.
1. any large fish of the genus Anarhichas, as A. lupus of the northern Atlantic, allied to the blenny and noted for its ferocious appearance and habits.
2. lancetfish.
[1560-70; WOLF + FISH]

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fish
 any of five species of large, long-bodied fishes of the family Anarhichadidae (order Perciformes), found in northern Atlantic and Pacific waters. The largest species may grow 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.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • wolffish — [woolf′fish΄] n. pl. wolffish or wolffishes (see FISH) any of a family (Anarhichadidae) of long, marine, carnivorous percoid fishes having large, protruding canine teeth …   English World dictionary

  • wolffish — noun Date: 1569 any of several large marine bony fishes (genus Anarhichas of the family Anarhicadidae) of cold northern waters having strong canine teeth in the front of the jaws and molar teeth on the sides and that feed chiefly on shellfish,… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • wolffish — noun /ˈwʊlffɪʃ/ An edible fish of the family Anarhichadidae …   Wiktionary

  • wolffish — n. type of edible fish with large sharp teeth …   English contemporary dictionary

  • wolffish — зубатка …   English-Russian travelling dictionary

  • wolffish — noun 1. large ferocious northern deep sea food fishes with strong teeth and no pelvic fins • Syn: ↑wolf fish, ↑catfish • Hypernyms: ↑blennioid fish, ↑blennioid • Member Holonyms: ↑Anarhichas, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Northern wolffish — Conservation status Threatened in Canada Scientific classification …   Wikipedia

  • Spotted wolffish — Taxobox image caption = Recently caught individual from , Greenland status = VU status = Threatened in Canada regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Actinopterygii ordo = Perciformes familia = Anarhichadidae genus = Anarhichas species = A …   Wikipedia

  • USS Wolffish (SS-434) — The USS Wolffish (SS 434) was a Balao class submarine. Her construction by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was authorized but the contract for her construction was cancelled on 29 July 1944. She was originally… …   Wikipedia

  • Atlantic wolffish — paprastoji vilkžuvė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Anarchichas lupus angl. Atlantic catfish; Atlantic wolffish; blue cat; common wolffish rus. oбыкновенная полосатая зубатка; морской волк ryšiai:… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

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