Species: Cottus asper
Prickly Sculpin
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Scorpaeniformes
Family
Cottidae
Genus
Cottus
NatureServe
Classification
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Fishes - Bony Fishes - Other Bony Fishes
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Actinopterygii - Scorpaeniformes - Cottidae - Cottus - Early nomenclatural history confusing. Two forms, a sparsely prickled coastal form and heavily prickled inland form, have been recognized and may be genetically distinct (Lee et al. 1980). Formerly included in the order Perciformes; the 1991 AFS checklist (Robins et al. 1991) followed Nelson (1984) in recognizing the order Scorpaeniformes as distinct from the Perciformes.
Ecology and Life History
Habitat Type Description
Freshwater
Migration
false - true - false - Downstream migration of adults and upstream migration of young-of-the-year sculpins is typical of many (but not all) populations (Moyle 1976).
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
Feeds mainly on aquatic insects, their larvae, and other large benthic invertebrates. Larger sculpins (> 70 mm SL) often eat fishes.
Reproduction Comments
Matures in 2nd-4th year. Spawning may occur late February-June; most spawning in California probably occurs March-April. Female deposits 280- 11,000 eggs depending on her size and age (Moyle 1976). Male may spawn with more than one female.
Ecology Comments
Abundant where found (Moyle 1976).
Length
9
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-09-25
Global Status Last Changed
1996-09-25
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S1&CA.BC=S5&US.AK=S5&US.CA=SNR&US.OR=S4&US.WA=S5" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
Range encompasses Pacific Slope drainages of North America from Ventura River, California, to the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska; east of the Continental Divide, this sculpin occurs in the upper Peace River (Arctic basin), British Columbia; it occurs on Queen Charlotte and Vancouver islands (Lee et al. 1980, Page and Burr 2011).