Family CottidaeSculpins Selected Characters: Large head; fanlike pectoral fins; single lateral line present; suborbital stay present; no spines in anal fin. This is a very large family with about 300 species. Most species are found in Arctic or temperate waters and are bottom dwellers. They typically occur in shallow or intertidal zones, though some species occur in deep ocean and others in fresh water. All species are oviparous; some have internal fertilization. Eggs are usually deposited among rocks and are guarded by the male while they develop. Most species have cryptic coloration (brown or green to blend in with silt and algae). Sculpins are generally small fishes of less than 30 cm. Our largest species is the Cabezon, which grows to a maximum of about 1 meter. The Cabezon may eat fishes, but smaller sculpins feed mainly on small invertebrates. All sculpins are important food sources for other fishes, though most cottids are too small to be palatable to humans. This is a common family in Puget Sound, with 35 species recorded here. Puget Sound Species Artedius corallinus Coralline Sculpin Artedius fenestralis Padded Sculpin Artedius harringtoni Scalyhead Sculpin Artedius lateralis Smoothhead Sculpin Artedius meanyi Puget Sound Sculpin Artedius notospilotus Bonehead Sculpin Ascelichthys rhodorus Rosylip Sculpin Blepsias cirrhosus Silverspotted Sculpin Chitonotus pugetensis Roughback Sculpin Clinocottus acuticeps Sharpnose Sculpin Clinocottus embryum Calico Sculpin Clinocottus globiceps Mosshead Sculpin Cottus aleuticus Coastrange Sculpin Cottus asper Prickly Sculpin Enophrys bison Buffalo Sculpin Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus Red Irish Lord Hemilepidotus spinosus Brown Irish Lord Icelinus borealis Northern Sculpin Icelinus burchami Dusky Sculpin Icelinus filamentosus Threadfin Sculpin Icelinus tenuis Spotfin Sculpin Jordania zonope Longfin Sculpin Leptocottus armatus Pacific Staghorn Sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus Great Sculpin Nautichthys oculofasciatus Sailfin Sculpin Oligocottus maculosus Tidepool Sculpin Oligocottus rimensis Saddleback Sculpin Oligocottus snyderi Fluffy Sculpin Radulinus asprellus Slim Sculpin Radulinus boleoides Darter Sculpin Radulinus taylori Spinynose Sculpin Scorpaenichthys marmoratus Cabezon Synchirus gilli Manacled Sculpin Triglops macellus Roughspine Sculpin Triglops pingeli Ribbed Sculpin |