Cyclopterus lumpus
Lumpfish
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Scorpaeniformes (Lionfish, Stonefish and others)
Cyclopteridae (Lumpfishes)
Cyclopterus
Cyclopterus lumpus (Lumpfish)
Description
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep. First dorsal fin present but covered by thick layer of skin forming a characteristic high crest with embedded spines. Bony tubercles present, arranged in 3 widely separated rows of large flattened tubercles on each side of body. Gill openings large, extend- extending below level of upper pectoral fin ray. Pyloric present 36-79. Ventral sucking disc formed by the modified pelvic fin (Ref. 232). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Nunavut, Hudson Bay to James Bay and Labrador in Canada to New Jersey in USA; rarely to Chesapeake Bay in USA and Bermuda. Eastern Atlantic: Barents Sea, Iceland and Greenland to Spain (Ref. 4701).
Habitat Associations
Marine. benthopelagic. depth range 0-868 m.
Biology
Basically solitary rather than a schooling fish. They exhibit a homing instinct (Ref. 9737). Adults inhabit rocky bottoms but may occur among floating seaweed. They migrate considerable distances in an annual cycle between deeper waters in winter and shallower waters in summer (Ref. 26141). Maximum depth reported at 868 m (Ref. 58426). Epibenthic-pelagic (Ref. 58426). Juveniles are found among algal clumps in bays and fjords moving offshore as they mature (Ref. 96431). During the spawning season the males become reddish in color on the underside, whereas females turn blue-green. Adults feed on ctenophores, medusas, small crustaceans, polychaetes, jelly fish and small fishes. Valued for their eggs, which make an inexpensive caviar (Ref. 9988). Eaten in Nordic countries, marketed fresh or smoked. Male flesh is most demanded and roe is sold fresh (Ref. 35388).
Max length: 61.0 cm TL; max weight: 9500 g; max age: 13 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; guarders (clutch tenders); parental care: paternal. Eggs are laid in large numbers on stony bottoms (Ref. 9900). Male guards egg-mass aggressively.
IUCN Red List Status: N.E. (N.E.). Resilience: Low (K=0.12; tm=3-5; tmax=13; Fec=100,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial.
References
Whitehead, P.J.P., M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) (1986) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vols. I-III:1473 p.
Stein, D.L. (1986) Cyclopteridae. p. 1269-1274. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. III.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Flintegård, H. (1987) Fishes in the North Sea Museum's aquaria. North Sea Museum, North Sea Centre, DK-9850 Hirtshals. Hirtshals Bogtryk/Offset A/S.
Bowman, R.E., C.E. Stillwell, W.L. Michaels and M.D. Grosslein (2000) Food of northwest Atlantic fishes and two common species of squid. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE 155, 138 p.
Coad, B.W. and J.D. Reist (2004) Annotated list of the arctic marine fishes of Canada. Can. MS Rep. Fish Aquat. Sci. 2674:iv:+112 p.
Parin, N.V., V.V. Fedorov and B.A. Sheiko (2002) An annotated catalogue of fish-like vertebrates and fishes of the seas of Russia and adjacent countries: Part 2. Order Scorpaeniformes. J. Ichthyol. 42(Suppl.1):S60-S135.
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