Scientific Name
Cottus aleuticus

Common Name
Coastrange sculpin

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-20; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 15; Vertebrae: 34 - 38. Distinguished by having only a single pore on the tip of the chin, no palatine teeth and no pronounced gap between 1st and 2nd dorsal fins (Ref. 27547). Dark brown to greenish or grayish on back and sides, with darker blotches; sides lighter, ventral areas white; usually two or three dark saddle-like blotches below soft part of dorsal fin; dark bars on dorsal, anal, pectoral and caudal fins; orange edge on spiny dorsal fin of spawning males (Ref. 27547).

Classification

Classified By

Gilbert, 1896

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Sculpins (Cottidae)

Distribution

Region

North America

Distribution

North America: Bristol Bay and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to northern California, USA. Isolated populations in lower Kobuk River (Alaska), Cultus Lake (British Columbia, Canada), and Lake Washington (USA) (Ref. 27547).

Range

68°N - 35°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

3.1 s.e. 0.40 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

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

17.0 cm

Common Length

6.0 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

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=3; tmax=8; Fec=100)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated