Home · Cottidae · Brown Irish lord
Brown Irish lord (Hemilepidotus spinosus) — Cottidae

Brown Irish lord

Hemilepidotus spinosus
Family: Cottidae

The Brown Irish lord (Hemilepidotus spinosus) is a saltwater fish of the family Cottidae that grows up to 29 cm.

Length
29 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–780.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The brown Irish lord is a sculpin (Cottidae) from cold coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, off North America. The species grows to about 29 cm and has a stocky, red-brown mottled body with a large, bony head and a band of scales along the back. As a bottom-dweller it lives among rocks, kelp and on gravelly bottoms of shallow coastal water and snaps at small crustaceans, molluscs and small fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brown Irish lord?

The Brown Irish lord has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Brown Irish lord live?

The Brown Irish lord lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Brown Irish lord get?

The Brown Irish lord grows to a maximum of about 29 cm.

Is the Brown Irish lord dangerous to humans?

No, the Brown Irish lord is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bruine Ierse heer sourced
English name
Brown Irish lord sourced
Scientific name
Hemilepidotus spinosus
Family
Cottidae
Other names
Brown Irish lord verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
29.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

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 verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Hemilepidotus

More from the family Cottidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →