Atlantic Wolffish

Photo: Dánial W. Johannesen · CC BY-NC

Atlantic wolffish inhabit the deeper channels of the Saksun inlet, using the fractured basalt bedrock as shelter during the day and emerging to hunt at dawn and dusk. The brackish conditions near the lagoon entrance do not deter them — wolffish are physiologically tolerant of reduced salinity and are often found in estuarine environments where competitors are less abundant. Their enormous heads, protruding conical teeth, and eel-like body make them one of the most startling animals in North Atlantic diving.