Woof woof

A strange fish washed ashore in Alaska

BARROW, Alaska (AP) - Charles Maasak Brower was heading out to do some seal and caribou hunting with his sons when they stumbled upon a beach find that has nearly everyone stumped.

Brower and his four sons came across what biologists believe is a wolffish, a species known to live in arctic waters and the Bering Sea.

But figuring out that much required biologists to send photos and descriptions to other biologists at schools throughout Alaska, Canada and Washington state.

It's become a major discussion point in Barrow, where no one can remember ever seeing a wolffish before.

A wolffish I looked it up, it’s ugly

The wolf fish is easy to recognize. It has a long dorsal fin from its neck and backwards. The jaws are powerful with several rows of thick teeth. Its mouth is fit for crushing things and its favorite food is sea urchin. It can easily crush a human hand, so be careful handling the catch. The wolf fish is also feeding on crabs, shells and sea snails. In Norway this fish is called "gråsteinbit", meaning; grey-stone-bite. The skin is non colored, but has striped patterns in shades of grey. The skin is so thick that it is suitable for preparation, then used as leather. The wolf fish may look like a cat due to the shape of its head and its eyes. Therefore it is also called catfish. It spawns during the winter months.