Spotted Wolffish Identification Guide
Identify the Spotted Wolffish by the rounded dark blotches scattered over its pale grey-brown body.
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Key identification features
- Elongated, eel-like body similar in shape to other wolffish, tapering to a small rounded tail
- Pale grey-brown to yellowish-brown background color covered in rounded dark spots and blotches, rather than bars
- Large, blunt head with thick lips and strong canine teeth at the front of the jaws
- Rounded, molar-like crushing teeth set further back for feeding on hard-shelled prey
- One long, low dorsal fin running most of the length of the back
- No pelvic fins
Common look-alikes
- Atlantic Wolffish: shows distinct dark vertical bars rather than rounded spots, and generally reaches a smaller maximum size.
- Northern (jelly) wolffish: has a much more uniform, largely unpatterned body and softer, more gelatinous skin than the strongly spotted, firmer-bodied Spotted Wolffish.
- Large eelpouts: lack the wolffish's prominent canine and crushing teeth and typically show smoother, less blotched coloring.
Where you'll see one
Spotted Wolffish inhabit cold, deep Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the North Atlantic and Barents Sea, favoring rocky and gravelly seabeds well offshore at greater depths than the more coastal Atlantic Wolffish, often solitary near boulders or crevices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Spotted Wolffish from an Atlantic Wolffish?
Check the body pattern: Spotted Wolffish has rounded dark blotches, while Atlantic Wolffish shows distinct vertical bars, and Spotted Wolffish tends to grow larger.
What confirms a wolffish identification versus an eelpout?
Look at the teeth: wolffish have prominent front canines plus rounded crushing molars, while eelpouts have much smaller, less specialized teeth.