10/04/2026
Dozens of fishermen end up losing body parts to wolf fish. This is because many people don’t realize that even after being « dead » and without a body, it is still capable of this.
The Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) and its cousin, the wolf eel, possess a neuromuscular reflex that is famously persistent. Even when the head is completely severed from the body, it can still deliver a bone-crushing bite for an extended period.
• Cold-Water Metabolism: Because wolffish live in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic, their tissues (nerves, brain, and muscles) require very little oxygen and are extremely hardy. After decapitation, these cells can remain « alive » and reactive for a significant amount of time before brain death truly sets in.
• The Reflex Arc: The fish has sensory receptors in its mouth and jaws designed to detect prey. When something (like a finger or a Coke can) enters the mouth and touches these sensors, a signal is sent through a short reflex arc to the brain and back to the massive jaw muscles, triggering a crushing snap. This happens automatically, without the need for a functioning heart or body.
• Crushing Power: These fish are built to eat hard-shelled prey like sea urchins, large crabs, and lobsters. Their bite force is immense; a severed head can easily crunch through aluminum cans or sever human fingers.
The Viral « Coke Can » Video
The 2026 resurgence of this topic is driven by a high-definition remaster of the classic 2019 footage showing a severed wolffish head biting a can of Coke. In the clip, the can is forced into the jaws of the dead fish, which immediately chomps down with enough force to spray soda everywhere, proving that the fish’s « muscle memory » is lethal.
Fisherman Safety in 2026
Commercial fishermen in Canada and Norway are trained specifically to treat wolffish with extreme caution. Because the species is protected in many regions, they must often be released back into the wild. The primary rule on deck is: Never put your hand near a wolffish, dead or alive.
