Shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius)

Scientific name: Myoxocephalus scorpius Linnaeus, 1758

Shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius)

The Shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) is a brackish-water fish of the family Cottidae.

Biology

Found on rocky bottoms with sand or mud, or among seaweeds. Benthic. Feeds on fishes, large crustaceans, occasionally polychaetes and amphipods. During the spawning season, the male's underside becomes deep red with white spots.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Myoxocephalus scorpius
Family
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
60.0
Common length
24.0
Depth range
0–451 m (0–1480 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 451 m
Climate
Polar
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: south-eastern coasts of Greenland, Jan Mayen Island, Iceland to British Isles and southward to Bay of Biscay, also North Sea, Baltic Sea, Spitsbergen and southern part of Barents Sea (including White Sea). Western Atlantic: James Bay in Canada to New York, USA. Arctic Ocean.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; Fec=2,742)

More other freshwater fish

See all other freshwater fish

Sources

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

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