Arctic sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpioides)

Scientific name: Myoxocephalus scorpioides Fabricius, 1780

Arctic sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpioides)

The Arctic sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpioides) is a brackish-water fish of the family Cottidae. Native range: Arctic, to James Bay and Straits of Belle Isle in Canada and Greenland.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 13. Caudal fin rounded. Upper parts blackish-brown (paler in females), flanks with dark cross-bands (fainter in males, which have dark bordered white or silvery irregular spots under pectoral fins and above anal fin); breast and belly with dark spots in males and broad white band on reddish orange from pelvic base to anus; lower lip spotted in males (dark in females); pelvic fins with 2-3 dark cross-bands; pectoral rays blackish-brown in males, the membrane with 4-5 transverse rows of translucent spots (some light bands in females); white blotches or stripes on dorsal and anal fins.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Myoxocephalus scorpioides
Family
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
22.0
Depth range
0–275 m (0–902 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 275 m
Climate
Polar
Distribution
Arctic: to James Bay and Straits of Belle Isle in Canada and Greenland.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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