Cottus bairdii
Mottled Sculpin
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Scorpaeniformes (Lionfish, Stonefish and others)
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Cottus
Cottus bairdii (Mottled Sculpin)
Description
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Characters
Body shape: elongated.
Distribution
North America: widespread with highly disjunct distribution in Canada and USA. The former Blue Ridge race of the Atlantic slope of the Appalachian Mountains is now recognized as a distinct species Cottus caeruleomentum.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. Found in: streams, lakes.
Biology
Adults occur in rubble and gravel riffles, less often in sand-gravel runs of headwaters, creeks and small rivers. Also found in springs and their effluents and rocky shores of lakes (Ref. 1998, 10294). Feed mainly on aquatic insect larvae, but also on crustaceans, annelids, fishes, fish eggs, and plant material (Ref. 1998, 10294). Spawn in the spring (Ref. 1998). A male guards the cluster of eggs laid by different females (Ref. 1998). Neither anterolateral glandular groove nor venom gland is present (Ref. 57406).
Max length: 15.0 cm TL; common length: 8.4 cm TL; max age: 2 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: polygyny; guarders (nesters); parental care: paternal. Male selects a nesting site under a rock of ledge. Male entices a female to enter the nest. Female deposits eggs on the upper surface of the rock and leaves or is driven out of the nest. Eggs are deposited by different females. The male guards the eggs from predators and maintains a natural current flow (Ref. 1998). Also Ref. 53335.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-11-08. Resilience: High (tmax=2).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman (1973) Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 184: xi+1-966.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
Brown, L. and J.F. Downhower (1982) Polygamy in the mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) of southwestern Montana (Pisces: Cottidae). Can. J. Zool. 60:1973-1980.
Comments On Cottus bairdii