Blacknose sculpin (Icelus canaliculatus)

Scientific name: Icelus canaliculatus Gilbert, 1896

The Blacknose sculpin (Icelus canaliculatus) is a marine fish of the family Cottidae. Native range: North Pacific, Hokkaido, Japan and Navarin Canyon in the Bering Sea to the Aleutian chain and the Gulf of Alaska.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-24; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Body scales with serrated margin posteriorly; usually the ventral scale row present. Infraorbital and nuchal spines strong; the uppermost spine of preoperculum bifid or trifid. Enlarged pores along ventral margin of infraorbitals. Nostril tube black.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Icelus canaliculatus
Family: Cottidae (Sculpins)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 21.1
Depth range: 20–1005 m (66–3297 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 1005 m, usually 400 - 600 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: North Pacific: Hokkaido, Japan and Navarin Canyon in the Bering Sea to the Aleutian chain and the Gulf of Alaska.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest
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.

Last updated 27 September 2026