Scientific Name
Myoxocephalus scorpius

Common Name
Shorthorn sculpin

Biology
Found on rocky bottoms with sand or mud, or among seaweeds (Ref. 4698). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds on fishes, large crustaceans, occasionally polychaetes and amphipods (Ref. 4698). During the spawning season, the male's underside becomes deep red with white spots.

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Sculpins (Cottidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: south-eastern coasts of Greenland, Jan Mayen Island, Iceland to British Isles and southward to Bay of Biscay, also North Sea, Baltic Sea, Spitsbergen and southern part of Barents Sea (including White Sea). Western Atlantic: James Bay in Canada to New York, USA (Ref. 7251). Arctic Ocean.

Range

80°N - 40°N, 95°W - 60°E

Environment

Climate

Polar

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

451 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 451 m (Ref. 58496)

Trophic Level

3.89 s.e. 0.40 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

60.0 cm

Common Length

24.0 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

Aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; Fec=2,742)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated