Week #5 (2/10/13-2/16/13):

What are these creatures?!

Burbot (Lota lota)
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=243705.0

Eelpout (Zoarces viviparus)

If you do not know the answer (before looking at the caption), you have not been missing out on anything except the international Eelpout Festival!

These fish (top left) are actually local celebrities at this Minnesotan event in Walker, MN. However, these are not eelpout. The festival which celebrates the eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) should reconsider their name because they are actually burbot (Lota lota)!  It is a common misconception to confuse the two. However, there are distinct differences between the eelpout and the barbot as can be seen by comparison of their physical features.