The Sculpin Family – Cottidae

There are currently ELEVEN members of the Sculpin or Cottidae Family, all from the Pacific Ocean, are presented in this website:

FROM THE PACIFIC (11):

Note: The Cabezon, Cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, is considered by many to be a member of the Cottidae Family. but I have not included it here and it is found in the Cabezon or Scorpaenichthyidae Family within this website.

 The Sculpins are members of the Cottidae Family that has two hundred and seventy-five global species that have been placed into seventy genera of which seventeen species are found in the Pacific Ocean, all of which are found only along the west coast of the Baja. The vast majority are poorly studied and poorly characterized. In Mexico they are known in Mexico’s as charrascos espinosos.

The Sculpins are generally small fish that are under 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length with the largest one reaching a maximum of 78 cm (2 feet 7 inches) in length. They vary in color and patterns between species, between individuals, and between sexes in some species with most being brown or green to blend into their backgrounds. They all have large heads with large eyes found high on the head, fan-like pectoral fins, a single lateral line, a suborbital stay, and no spines in the anal fin. Morphologically they are interesting because they lack swim bladders. They also have the ability to produce sound.

The Sculpins are found worldwide, especially in colder water environments, in a wide variety of habitats including shallow and deep waters. They are bottom dwellers. Reproduction is oviparous with some having internal fertilization with the eggs deposited among rocks and guarded by the males. They feed on small fishes and small invertebrates.  In turn they provide an important food source for other fishes. In general, they are not consumed by humans due to their small stature. They date to the Middle Eocene Period, fifty million years ago.