Polyprion americanus, commonly known as Wreckfish or sometimes as Atlantic Wreckfish, are well-distributed marine species in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean oceans. Wreckfish are deep-water marine fish that dwell in caves and wreckage on the ocean floor. Keep an eye out for them when wreck diving or exploring caves, as they’re highly recognizable.
Their scientific name, Polyprion, which refers to their distinctive spiny fins, is derived from the Greek words poly, which means “many,” and prion, which means “saw.” In all fairness, the wreckfish appears to have a stylish mohawk.
Appearance
The giant Wreckfish has a thick, wide body and a big head with a prominent bottom lip and a rough, bony ridge across the upper part of the gill cover. It weighs up to 80 pounds and measures an average length of 6.5 feet, with reported cases going significantly over average. The body is coated with tiny, rigidly connected scales that extend along the base of the dorsal and anal fins.
The Wreckfish has prominent facial features, with large eyes and a big mouth. With deeper markings and black blotches fading to yellowish on the abdomen, the back and flanks are dark brown in hue. Additional descriptions of them include having a silvery sheen on the bottom and a bluish-gray spine. Its fins are dark brown or black.
Did you know…
Their well-developed lateral line system, a series of sensory organs along their body, allows them to detect vibrations and water movements, crucial for locating prey and avoiding predators in the darkness. They have a large, oil-filled liver that provides buoyancy, enabling them to maintain their position in the water column with minimal energy expenditure.
Habitat
Wreckfish are a solitary species, meaning they don’t associate with members of their species unless under special circumstances.
It inhabits a wide geographic range across the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. In the Eastern Atlantic, from Norway and Iceland, the Southern Atlantic to the Azores, and the coast of West Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea.
In the Western Atlantic ocean, their distribution extends from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland down the North American coast to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. They have also been recorded in the southwestern Atlantic off the coast of Brazil.
You can find Wreckfish anywhere that naval battles have taken place as it provides ample territory to be marked.
It typically resides in deep waters, preferring rocky bottoms, deep reefs, rocky cliffs, submarine canyons, and shipwrecks (hence their name) at depths ranging from 40 to 600 meters (130 to 2000 feet). They’re found in surface waters, often near floating debris.
Diet
Wreckfish are confirmed carnivores. Since the Wreckfish live at the bottom, they are known to enjoy consuming squid and cuttlefish. Additionally, they also eat certain crabs and cephalopods that they discover living nearby.
An unexpected behavior is that it may be highly opportunistic, much like the Black Sea Bass or other similar marine animals.
These large predators don’t possess teeth or a particularly powerful bite, so they resort to swallowing their prey whole.
Reproduction
Since they are solitary, they only join members of their species with the sole purpose of reproducing. It can start reproducing around the age of 8 and can live way past 60 years. Resorting to external fertilization, the female lays the eggs, and the male releases the sperm for it to be a successful endeavor.
Wreckfish spawn many times between January and mid-April. After being externally fertilized, the eggs are carried by the current to the coastline of Europe and then back to the southeastern coast of the United States as larvae and adults.
Threats
In regards to natural predators, Wreckfish don’t have one. However, juveniles are commonly hunted by large shark species. Their natural habitats are not particularly affected by man-made pollution. However, as classified by the IUCN, they are enlisted as Data deficient.
The major threat is overfishing practices. Since they are particularly a large fish species, their meat is highly sought after due to their sheer volume of it. Commercial anglers will go to lengths to harvest them since there are economic incentives to do so.
5 More Amazing Facts about Wreckfish
- The largest one caught on record was 6.9 ft and weighed 200 lbs.
- Because of how sharp their spines are, Wreckfish could use them as a defense mechanism.
- They live for 60 years on average but can reach 90 years.
- They have no predators.
- Scientists believe they use these sounds for communication and possibly to attract mates during the spawning season.
FAQs
Are Wreckfish dangerous to humans?
If you are wreck diving or even cave diving, you might run into this fish. While the sheer size will be intimidating at first, this fish species is not aggressive and poses no threat to humans whatsoever. Wreckfish don’t have sharp teeth, venom, or any means to cause serious damage to humans.
Do Wreckfish eat sharks?
While it’s not particularly part of their diet, there is video-documented evidence of a wreckfish swallowing whole little sharks. By no means do they go out of their way to devour larger, more aggressive sharks, just those smaller than them.
Is a Wreckfish the same as a grouper?
While it is common to mistake them for one another, Wreckfish was accidentally discovered as a species by fishermen harvesting grouper, and on the line, this new fish got caught. Pretty soon, they discovered that the flesh was edible, and nowadays, they are commercial fish harvested for consumption.
Is Wreckfish high in mercury?
The likelihood of mercury exposure increases with the size and age of the Wreckfish. Man-made pollution of the seas has resulted in all fish carrying certain levels of mercury in their bodies, which can pose hazards. The Wreckfish’s bones can harm or obstruct the intestines and present a choking hazard, which isn’t necessarily exclusive to them.
