Scientific Name
Cottus gobio

Common Name
Bullhead

Biology
Occurs in cold, clear and fast-flowing water of small stream to medium-sized rivers as well as on gravel or rocky shores of cold lakes and in slightly brackish waters along eastern coast of Baltic coast (Ref. 59043). Feeds on small bottom invertebrates, mainly insects, crustaceans. Pink to yellow eggs are found in clumps attached to undersides of large stones (Ref. 41678). Contrary to statements in older literature, eggs and larvae of fishes are not a common food item (Ref. 45167).

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Sculpins (Cottidae)

Distribution

Region

Europe

Distribution

Europe: North Baltic in Scandinavia south to stream Maurine in southwesternmost of corner of Baltic basin (Germany); lower reaches of streams and rivers and along coast of Sweden, Finland, Russia southwest to Estonia.; Danube (except upper tributaries Save and Arges), Elbe, Ems, Weser and Rh?ne drainages;tributaries of upper Rhine downriver (northward) to about Mannheim; a few of uppermost tributaries of River Tevere, central Italy; Adriatic drainages from Potenza in Italy to Zrmanja in Croatia, except Timavo spring. Locally introduced in Scheldt drainage in Belgium. Records of sculpins from Neretva drainage in Bosnia-Herzegovina possibly belong to Cottus gobio.

Range

70°N - 40°N, 6°W - 60°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

1 °C

Water Temperature To

16 °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

2 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; brackish; ; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 10 - ? demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 2 - 2 m (Ref. 58018)

Trophic Level

3.15 s.e. 0.44 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

18.0 cm

Common Length

10.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; bait: occasionally

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=1-3)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)