Spotted Wolffish

Coloration greyish brown with many distinct spots on body and dorsal fin (Ref. 35388).

Spawning happens between the months of September and January at 250 m depth. Females lay great egg bunches in nests built on the ground. The size of the eggs increases with the size of the female. Egg size 5-6 mm, larval length at hatching 21-24 mm.

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Inhabits offshore waters over soft bottoms, often with boulders, from 25-590 m, but most common from 100-400 m (Ref. 4694). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds mainly on echinoderms, but also crustaceans, mollusks, fishes (Ref. 4694) and worms (Ref. 58426). In Barents sea, it reached at least 80 cm, age 9 years. Preyed upon by cod, pollock, and Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). Parasites of the species include 1 myxosporidian, 1 cestode, 7 trematodes, 1 hirudinean, 1 crustacean and 1 protozoan, Trypanosoma murmanensis (Ref. 5951).

Inhabits offshore waters over soft bottoms, often with boulders, from 25-590 m, but most common from 100-400 m (Ref. 4694). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds mainly on echinoderms, but also crustaceans, mollusks, fishes (Ref. 4694) and worms (Ref. 58426). In Barents sea, it reached at least 80 cm, age 9 years. Marketed fresh or as frozen fillets. Leather can be made of the skin (Ref. 35388).

fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: low; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species