First Record of the Northern Wolffish Anarhichas denticulatus Krøyer, 1845 (Anarhichadidae: Zoarcoidei: Perciformes) in the Siberian Arctic: Further Evidence of Atlantification?

Abstract

A single specimen of the northern wolffish Anarhichas denticulatus Krøyer, 1845, 393 mm in length, was documented for the first time in the Siberian Arctic (Laptev Sea, Russia). Species identification was confirmed by an integrative taxonomic approach that included examination of external morphology and DNA barcoding using the COI mtDNA gene. This species is widely distributed in the North Atlantic, but records in the Arctic Ocean are limited to the Canadian and US coasts. This record might represent a significant range extension of about 7500 km for the species and may be associated with the eastward transport of a pelagic juvenile specimen from the Northeastern Atlantic to the Laptev Sea by the North Atlantic current, consistent with the hypothesis of Atlantification of the Arctic Ocean. X-ray images of the Laptev Sea specimen and photographs showing ontogenetic variations of species’ coloration are provided for reference. The Laptev Sea specimen had a more elongated shape, longer preorbital distance, and longer pectoral, dorsal, and anal fins, as well as a larger eye and wider caudal fin compared to North Atlantic samples. The size differences are likely associated with conditions experienced as a juvenile during the pelagic stage of the lifecycle.