The threadfin sculpin (''Icelinus filamentosus'') is a fish, mostly found in the Pacific waters of North America. A large, deep-water

sculpin A sculpin is a type of fish that belongs to the superfamily Cottoidea in the order Perciformes.Kane, E. A. and T. E. Higham. (2012)Life in the flow lane: differences in pectoral fin morphology suggest transitions in station-holding demand acros ...

of the family

Cottidae The Cottidae are a family of fish in the superfamily Cottoidea, the sculpins. It is the largest sculpin family, with about 275 species in 70 genera.Kane, E. A. and T. E. Higham. (2012)Life in the flow lane: differences in pectoral fin morphology ...

, it occurs in the

North Pacific Ocean North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' ...

, from Chirikof Island in the western Gulf of Alaska to Point Loma and Cortez Bank, southern California, USA. Found at depths below 122 ft (35 m), and as deep as 2624 ft (800 m), little is known about this reclusive species.

Description and life cycle

A member of the ''

Icelinus ''Icelinus''is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the Family (biology), family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the northern and eastern Pacific Ocean. Taxonomy ''Icelinus'' was first proposed as a monospec ...

'' genus, the threadfin sculpin, like many others in its genus, has a large spine on the top of the preoperculum with antler-like points. They have a single spine and 2 soft rays in the pelvic fin and there are two rows of ctenoid scales along the dorsal fin bases. The body is overall light gray, with splotches of dark brown along the upper flank and head. There are between 9 and 11 dorsal spines, 15-18 dorsal soft rays, 13-15 anal soft rays, and 4 dark saddles across the back. The belly is light gray or yellow, and the anal fin is often a dusky color. Its pectoral fins are quite large, roughly the size of the head. The maximum recorded length is 27 cm (10.7 in). It is found over soft bottoms, primarily covered with sand or mud, ranging from 35 to 800 m. The species is known to feed primarily on crustaceans such as

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

and

isopods Isopoda is an Order (biology), order of crustaceans. Members of this group are called isopods and include both Aquatic animal, aquatic species and Terrestrial animal, terrestrial species such as woodlice. All have rigid, segmented exoskeletons ...

. While not commercially exploited, the species is considered edible and may be eaten.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4521117 Cottinae Fauna of the Aleutian Islands Western North American coastal fauna Fish described in 1890

Description and life cycle

See also

References