THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Aleutian Islands, and south along the North
American coast to Monterey Bay.
Habitat: Usually nearshore rocky areas, from
intertidal to depth of 50 m.
Appearance: Variable color: usually reds,
pinks, purples, browns, and whites. Can
change coloration to some degree to match
surroundings. Among the largest of the
sculpins; max. length: ~ 50 cm.
Diet: Crabs, barnacles, mussels, occasional
small fishes. Lie-in-wait predator that depends
almost entirely on its camouflage.
Reproduction and Development: Gather in
spawning areas each season; thought that the
same pair frequent the same areas year after
year. Pinkish eggs are laid, fertilized, and
guarded by both parents.
Mortality/Longevity: Life span: ~ about 6
yrs.
Remarks: The genus is noted and named
for its two distinct bands of scales, one on
the back and a second below the lateral line
(Hemilepidotus = “half scaled”).
Prized for its excellent tasting flesh.
Spotfin Sculpin
Icelinus tenuis (Cottidae)
Sculpins
Distribution: Queen Charlotte Island, British
Columbia to central Baja California.
Habitat: Sand bottoms, 33–375 m below the
surface.
Appearance: 1st 2 spines of dorsal fin elongated,
rounded caudal fin, small pelvic fins. Body
light brown with orangish blotches above,
white below. Dark saddles on back; dusky
blotches on lower sides. Max. size: 14 cm.
Diet: Shrimps.
Scalyhead Sculpin
Artedius harringtoni (Cottidae)
Sculpins
Distribution: Eastern Pacific coast from
Kodiak Island, Alaska to southern California.
Habitat: Intertidal and especially subtidal
rocky areas, often around pilings to depths
of 21 m.
Appearance: Underside of the adult head
is orange with red bars radiating from the
eye and a red spot near the tip of the first 2
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dorsal fin spines. Scales appear on the head,
sometimes on the cheek but not on the snout,
a broad band of scales covers the back. Small
cirrus (a thin flap of skin) above the front of
the eye as well as head cirri more developed
in males.
Diet: Small invertebrates.
Reproduction and Development: Internal
fertilization; mature males have a slender
tapered retractable penis. Male gives the
parental care, becoming very territorial and
guarding the eggs that are laid on rocks in the
winter and spring.
Conservation Status: A common species
within its area, but rarely seen because of its
cryptic coloration.
Tidepool Sculpin
Oligocottus maculosus (Cottidae)
Sculpins
Distribution: Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering
Sea to Los Angeles County, California.
Habitat: Sheltered areas and tide pools located in
areas near rough surf; occurs in higher, more sheltered
places. Can leave tide pools when aquatic
conditions become inhospitable. Shows a strong
tendency to return to its home pool if displaced.
Appearance: Length to 8.9 cm. Green to red
above, with irregular dark saddles on the
back; white or off-white tinged with green to
blue below.
Diet: Preys on pelagic fish larvae, benthic
arthropods including amphipods, copepods,
isopods, as well as polychaete worms.
Reproduction and Development: Fertilization
external. Male clasps female with his pectoral
fins and fertilizes the eggs as they are being
deposited onto substrate.
Remarks: Able to breathe air when out of
water.
Fluffy Sculpin
Oligocottus snyderi (Cottidae)
Sculpins
Distribution: Endemic to the Pacific Coast
from Alaska to Baja California.
Habitat: Temperate rocky intertidal pools,
especially those with algae or eelgrass and a
sandy substrate. They don’t migrate but do
move between pools. In Central California,
dominant in sub- to mid-intertidal pools.