Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum)

Scientific name: Cottus caeruleomentum Kinziger, Raesly & Neely, 2000

Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum)

The Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum) is a freshwater fish of the family Cottidae. Native range: North America, Atlantic drainages including the Elk, Susquehanna, Bush, Patapsco, Patuxent, Potomac, Nanticoke, James and Roanoke.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14. Two-spotted first dorsal fin; chin uniformly pigmented; dossal saddles moderate to wide; incomplete lateral line; preopercular spines slight to moderate, palatine teeth weak to moderate, and postpectoral prickling slight to moderate. Distinguished from C. b. bairdi by caudal base band unnotched in at least one side versus both sides notched. Palatine tooth patch moderately developed.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Cottus caeruleomentum
Family
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
6.3
Environment
Freshwater; demersal
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
North America: Atlantic drainages including the Elk, Susquehanna, Bush, Patapsco, Patuxent, Potomac, Nanticoke, James and Roanoke.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (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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