Blackfin sculpin (Malacocottus kincaidi)

Scientific name: Malacocottus kincaidi Gilbert & Thompson, 1905

The Blackfin sculpin (Malacocottus kincaidi) is a marine fish of the family Psychrolutidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12. Caudal bluntly rounded; pectorals large, emarginate, the inner surface joined to body by a fold of skin; pelvic fins small. Color gray to light brown dorsally, lighter below with fine dark speckling; several irregular brown blotches on dorsal surface, and light spots on sides; narrow light bands on margin of all fins (except pelvic) with darker band below; light bands on rayed dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins; mature males with golden margins on dorsal fins during breeding.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Malacocottus kincaidi
Family
Psychrolutidae (Fatheads)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
20.0
Depth range
27–1025 m (89–3363 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 27 - 1025 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
North Pacific: Hokkaido, Japan and Sea of Okhotsk to Cape Navarin in the Bering Sea, west in the Aleutian Islands to Stalemate Bank and Puget Sound, Washington, USA.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Gamefish: yes
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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