In the love-infused month of February, one of the animals most devoted to not just sex in the sea but true and everlasting love—or at least a lifetime companionship—is the wolf eel, Anarrhichthys ocellatus.
The defining factor of the wolf eel is the presence of pectoral fins. They also have deep-set eyes that are hard to see inside the folds of their soft, fleshy skin. Photo courtesy of Aquarium of the Bay
By Kati Schmidt
Published: February, 2011
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In the love-infused month of February, one of the animals most devoted to not just sex in the sea but true and everlasting love—or at least a lifetime companionship—is the wolf eel, Anarrhichthys ocellatus. While many aquatic animals never even interact with their mates, but instead release gametes, or eggs and sperm, into the open water, wolf eels are known to find one partner for life.
“Wolf eels are incredibly charismatic,” said Aquarium of the Bay’s John Krupa. “Each of our wolf eels has its own personality, which comes out from feeding and caring for them.”
Wolf eels, also known as wolf fish, are not true eels (and nowhere close to wolves, either) but prickle backs. The defining factor on these animals is the presence of pectoral fins. A long, ribbon-like body and sharp canine teeth at the front of very powerful jaws are two other defining characteristics of the animal’s anatomy. Wolf eels also have deep-set eyes that are somewhat hard to see inside the folds of their soft and fleshy skin.
The coloring of a wolf eel changes dramatically throughout its lifetime. As a juvenile, the animal is vibrant orange and red colors, and can be found in shallow subtidal zones. As it matures, the animal loses its bright-colored beauty, adapts to deeper water lifestyles and becomes gray, with dark spots and blotches to help provide camouflage. Once it moves into deeper water, wolf eels pair up with a mate, typically at around age four, and find a cozy cave to live out their days and years in, leaving only either for food or against their will—if a larger cave-loving animal such as an octopus decides to move in.
Let’s Talk About Sex
After a long courtship, at approximately age seven, the male wolf eel will first romantically butt his head against the female’s. Then, he wraps himself around her until she releases her eggs, and he releases sperm. A female lays up to 10,000 eggs at a time, quickly curling her body around them for protection. Once in place, the male will coil around her (the aquatic form of spooning) to provide additional protection for the eggs.
During the approximately four months it takes for the eggs to hatch, the female continues to protect the eggs, helping to keep them oxygenated by circulating water around them. The animals only leave the lair to hunt, and they take turns when they do, to ensure the eggs are protected at all times. Once hatched, animal care ends as the larval wolf eels drift in the open ocean and the partners return to their cave-potato lifestyle.
Wolf eels primarily dine on hard-shelled invertebrates such as clams, mussels and sea urchins, with an occasional hankering for small fishes. Their strong jaw and sharp teeth come in handy for cracking open or crushing shells to scoop out the meaty insides.
Wolf eels can be found in cold waters along the Pacific coast of North America, ranging from Alaska to the northern tip of Baja, as well as in the Sea of Japan. An easier way to view the animals, sans wetsuit, is at Aquarium of the Bay. The aquarium exhibits wolf eels in its near-shore tunnel, as well as in its lumpfish exhibit.
Kati Schmidt is the Public Relations Manager for Aquarium of the Bay and The Bay Institute, nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting, restoring and inspiring conservation of San Francisco Bay and its watershed. A Bay Area native and aspiring Great American novelist, Kati enjoys the professional and personal muses found from strolling and cycling along, and occasionally even swimming in San Francisco Bay and beyond.
