Scientific Name
Hemitripterus americanus

Common Name
Sea raven

Biology
Inhabit rocky or hard bottom and is a voracious eater. Food includes crustaceans, mollusks, sea urchins, fishes such as herring, sand lance and silver hake, and any bottom invertebrates that are available. When taken out of the water the belly becomes inflated so that when returned to the water they are unable to submerge. Adults attach their eggs near the base of a sponge to use as a spawning bed (Ref. 34819, 41075).

Classification

Classified By

Gmelin, 1789

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Sea ravens or sailfin sculpins (Hemitripteridae)

Distribution

Region

Northwest Atlantic

Distribution

Northwest Atlantic: Labrador in Canada to Chesapeake Bay in USA.

Range

61°N - 36°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

180 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 180 m

Trophic Level

4.47 s.e. 0.79 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

64.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6289 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Bait: occasionally

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (46 of 100)

Resilience

Unknown

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated