''Myoxocephalus scorpius'', typically known as the shorthorn sculpin or bull-rout, is a species of

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

in the family Cottidae. It is a demersal species of the Northern Atlantic and adjacent

subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of hemiboreal regions and covering much of Alaska, Canada, Iceland, the north of Fennoscandia, Northwestern Russia, Siberia, and the Cair ...

and

Arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...

seas.Shorthorn Sculpin, ''Myoxocephalus scorpius''
Canada's Polar Life: Organisms. www.polarlife.ca The species has many English names that are used less frequently or in small parts of its range, including Arctic sculpin, daddy sculpin, European sculpin, father-lasher, goat sculpin, Greenland sculpin, guffy, horny whore, pig-fish, scully, scummy, short-spined sea scorpion and warty sculpin.

Appearance

It reaches maturity at in length and specimens from the Arctic and subarctic, which grow to the largest size, can reach up to . The fish has a squat appearance, a large spiny head and a tapering body. It is a mottled grey-brown in colour but can be darker, including black as base colouring. It has a large mouth and spiny gill covers. The shorthorn sculpin is not venomous, but it can be mistaken for similar looking venomous fishes, notably scorpionfish.

Habitat and behaviour

The shorthorn sculpin is found among seaweed or on rocky bottoms with mud or sand from . Although primarily a marine species, it also occurs in brackish waters like the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

. Like some other coldwater fish, it has antifreeze proteins, which allow it to survive at temperatures around or slightly below freezing. It was known that sculpin have been affected by heavy metal exposure in West Greenland by a former lead (Pb) - zinc (Zn) mine. Through analysing samples of three different sites, a positive correlation was found between fish at a closer distance to the mine and mucus secretion. This mucus creates a layer over the body that can cause respiratory stress, irregular swimming, and also affects their relationships with parasites. Researchers are hoping to use this mucosal mapping to help better understand effects of contaminant and parasite exposure for future studies. They feed on a wide range of demersal and benthic fishes and

crustaceans Crustaceans (from Latin meaning: "those with shells" or "crusted ones") are invertebrate animals that constitute one group of Arthropod, arthropods that are traditionally a part of the subphylum Crustacea (), a large, diverse group of mainly aquat ...

.The Pocket Guide to Saltwater Fishes of Britain and Europe The shorthorn sculpin spawns in December through March, the eggs being laid on between rocks in a clump protected by the male. They usually hatch in five weeks.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1481591 scorpius Fish described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus