Kessler's sculpin (Leocottus kesslerii)

Scientific name: Leocottus kesslerii Dybowski, 1874

The Kessler's sculpin (Leocottus kesslerii) is a freshwater fish of the family Comephoridae. Native range: Europe and Asia, Lake Baikal and small lakes in its basins; lower Selenge, Angara and Baingol rivers.

Biology

Occurs where the bottom is sand, sand-and-stone and sand-and-silt. Stays at a depth range of 3-15 m during the winter months. Spawns from mid May until the end of June, over sand and stone bottom, 3-5 m depth, as well as in shallow inlets and tributary mouths. Eggs are deposited under stones and are guarded by the male. Males are larger than females..

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Leocottus kesslerii
Family: Comephoridae (Baikal oilfishes)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 14.0
Depth range: 50–170 m (164–558 ft)
Environment: Freshwater; demersal; depth range 50 - 170 m, usually 50 - 70 m
Climate: Boreal
Distribution: Europe and Asia: Lake Baikal and small lakes in its basins; lower Selenge, Angara and Baingol rivers.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; tmax=6; K=0.23)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026