Inhabit rocky or hard bottom and is a voracious eater. Food includes crustaceans, mollusks, sea urchins, fishes such as herring, sand lance and silver hake, and any bottom invertebrates that are available. When taken out of the water the belly becomes inflated so that when returned to the water they are unable to submerge. Adults attach their eggs near the base of a sponge to use as a spawning bed (Ref. 34819, 41075).

Gulf of Maine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, North West Atlantic

Northwest Atlantic: Labrador in Canada to Chesapeake Bay in USA.

Labrador to Chesapeake Bay

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Western North Atlantic: Labrador to Chesapeake Bay.

64.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)); max. published weight: 3,200 g (Ref. 7251)

demersal; marine; depth range ? - 180 m

benthic

Found on rocky or hard bottoms to depths of 180 m.

Depth range based on 16934 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 12248 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 540
  Temperature range (°C): -1.960 - 25.421
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.250 - 22.319
  Salinity (PPS): 29.371 - 36.779
  Oxygen (ml/l): 3.207 - 7.938
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.059 - 1.806
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.988 - 19.024

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 540

Temperature range (°C): -1.960 - 25.421

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.250 - 22.319

Salinity (PPS): 29.371 - 36.779

Oxygen (ml/l): 3.207 - 7.938

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.059 - 1.806

Silicate (umol/l): 0.988 - 19.024
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Habitat Type: Marine

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Larvae feed mainly on the larvae of other fish (Ref. 13548). Parasites of the species include 2 protozoans, 2 myxosporidians, 9 trematodes, 1 cestode and 2 nematodes (Ref. 5951).

Hemitripterus americanus (Sea Raven) preys on:
other worms
Chaetognatha
Anthozoa
Crangon
Mysidae
Pandalidae
Decapoda
Gammaridae
Hyperiidae
Caprellidae
Isopoda
Cumacea
Cancer
Brachyura
Hydrozoa
Polychaeta
Echinodermata
Ophiuroidea
Bivalvia
Ammodytes marinus
Clupea harengus
Alosa pseudoharengus
Merluccius bilinearis
Urophycis regia
Urophycis tenuis
Urophycis chuss
Gadidae
Melanogrammus aeglefinus
Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus
Macrozoarces americanus
Brosme brosme
Anarhichas
Tautogolabrus adspersus
Triglidae
Pleuronectes ferrugineus
Scophthalmus aquosus
Paralichthys dentatus
Glyptocephalus cynoglossus
Hippoglossina oblonga
Pleuronectes americanus
Hippoglossoides platessoides
Hippoglossus hippoglossus

Based on studies in:
USA, Northeastern US contintental shelf (Coastal)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Hemitripterus americanus (Sea Raven) is prey of:
Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus
Leucoraja erinacea
Leucoraja ocellata
Mustelus canis
Lophius americanus

Based on studies in:
USA, Northeastern US contintental shelf (Coastal)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Adults attach their eggs near the base of a sponge to use as a spawning bed (Ref. 34819, 41075).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 19
Specimens with Barcodes: 28
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

Not Evaluated

bait: occasionally