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Armorhead sculpin (Gymnocanthus galeatus) — Cottidae

Armorhead sculpin

Gymnocanthus galeatus
Family: Cottidae
LC · Least Concern

The Armorhead sculpin (Gymnocanthus galeatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Cottidae that grows up to 46 cm.

Length
46 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–579.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The armorhead sculpin is a sculpin from the northern Pacific, from the Bering Sea to the Aleutians and British Columbia. The species grows to about 46 cm and has a stocky body with a large head armoured with bony ridges and spines. As a bottom-dweller it lives on sandy and muddy bottoms of cold, fairly deep water and feeds on small crustaceans, worms and molluscs. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Armorhead sculpin?

The Armorhead sculpin has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Armorhead sculpin live?

The Armorhead sculpin lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Armorhead sculpin get?

The Armorhead sculpin grows to a maximum of about 46 cm.

Is the Armorhead sculpin dangerous to humans?

No, the Armorhead sculpin is harmless to humans.

Is the Armorhead sculpin edible?

The Armorhead sculpin is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Helmkop-donderpad verified
English name
Armorhead sculpin verified
Scientific name
Gymnocanthus galeatus
Family
Cottidae
Other names
Armorhead sculpin verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
46.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
579.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
13.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gymnocanthus

More from the family Cottidae

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