Coastrange sculpin
📖 Overview
Adults inhabit gravel and rubble riffles of medium to large rivers and rocky shores of lakes . They occasionally enter estuaries and nearshore coastal water . They feed mostly at night and mostly on aquatic insects and benthic invertebrates . Generally solitary but large aggregations have been noted . Adults make regular seasonal migrations associated with spawning . Considered a forage fish for some salmonids .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 20; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 15; Vertebrae: 34 - 38. Distinguished by having only a single pore on the tip of the chin, no palatine teeth and no pronounced gap between 1st and 2nd dorsal fins . Dark brown to greenish or grayish on back and sides, with darker blotches; sides lighter, ventral areas white; usually two or three dark saddle-like blotches below soft part of dorsal fin; dark bars on dorsal, anal, pectoral and caudal fins; orange edge on spiny dorsal fin of spawning males .: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Coastrange sculpin is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Coastrange sculpin is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Adults make regular seasonal migrations associated with spawning. They move downstream to estuaries or at least to lower reaches of rivers in the spring, mostly at night . Eggs are deposited on the undersurface of a rock, in adhesive masses . Over 7,000 eggs have been found in a single nest, suggesting that a male may spawn with several females . The male guards the nest until all eggs have hatched . A reverse, upstream migration of yearlings and adults occur in late summer to early winter, from August to December .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous . Temperate; 68°N - 35°N, 175°W - 120°W North America: Bristol Bay and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to northern California, USA.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottus protrusus | Schultz & Spoor | 1933 | Synonym |
| Uranidea microstoma | Lockington | 1880 | Heterotypic |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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