Family Cottidae

by. Nolvyhindarto,S.Si_Encartablog_Animals

Sculpins

Selected Characters: Large head; fanlike pectoral fins; single
lateral line present; suborbital stay present; no spines in anal fin.

class="Normal_0020_0028Web_0029__Char" style=" text-decoration: none">This is a very large family with about 300 species. Most species are
found in Arctic or temperate waters and are bottom dwellers. They typically
occur in shallow or intertidal zones, though some species occur in deep
ocean and others in fresh water. All species are oviparous; some
have internal fertilization. Eggs are usually deposited among rocks
and are guarded by the male while they develop. Most species have cryptic
coloration (brown or green to blend in with silt and algae). Sculpins
are generally small fishes of less than 30 cm. Our largest species is
the Cabezon, which grows to a maximum of about 1 meter. The Cabezon
may eat fishes, but smaller sculpins feed mainly on small invertebrates.
All sculpins are important food sources for other fishes, though most
cottids are too small to be palatable to humans. This is a common family
in Puget Sound, with 35 species recorded here.

Species

Artedius corallinus Coralline Sculpin

Artedius fenestralis Padded Sculpin

Artedius harringtoni Scalyhead Sculpin

Artedius lateralis Smoothhead Sculpin

Retrieved from:” http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/ichthyology”