Scientific Name
Psychrolutes sigalutes

Common Name
Soft sculpin

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 22; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15. Dorsal spines and rays covered with skin; caudal rounded; pelvic fins partly attached to body (Ref. 6885). Color variable, changing rapidly; translucent pink to gray or brown on dorsal surface, lighter on fins; pectoral fins pale or bright orange; some dark spots on fins and vague darker markings on body; sometimes spotted; eyes orange (Ref. 6885).

Classification

Classified By

Jordan & Starks, 1895

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Fatheads (Psychrolutidae)

Distribution

Region

Northeast Pacific

Distribution

Northeast Pacific: Bering Sea to southern Puget Sound, Washington, USA.

Range

66°N - 46°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

225 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 225 m (Ref. 50610)

Trophic Level

3.19 s.e. 0.45 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

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

8.3 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (24 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated