Home · Hemitripteridae · Sea raven
Sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus) — Hemitripteridae

Sea raven

Hemitripterus villosus

The Sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus) is a saltwater fish of the family Hemitripteridae that grows up to 35 cm.

Length
35 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–550.0 m
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Japan, Korea (North), Korea (South), Russia, Alaska

Want the complete picture on the Sea raven?

Get the app

Description

The sea raven is a large sculpin relative (Hemitripteridae) from cold coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 35 cm and has a stocky, lumpy, red-brown body with a large, broad head set with skin flaps and spines and a notched dorsal fin. As a bottom-oriented ambush hunter it rests among rocks and weed and engulfs passing fish and crustaceans. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sea raven?

The Sea raven has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Sea raven live?

The Sea raven lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: Japan, Korea (North), Korea (South), Russia, Alaska

How big does the Sea raven get?

The Sea raven grows to a maximum of about 35 cm.

Is the Sea raven dangerous to humans?

No, the Sea raven is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus) — Hemitripteridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Глеб Колесников, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus) — Hemitripteridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) taiwan_habu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus) — Hemitripteridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Глеб Колесников, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Sea raven?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Sea raven is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Sea raven sourced
Scientific name
Hemitripterus villosus
Family
Hemitripteridae
Other names
Sea raven; Shaggy sculpin verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
35.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange 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)
550.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Japan, Korea (North), Korea (South), Russia, Alaska sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Hemitripterus

More from the family Hemitripteridae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Sea raven?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Sea raven is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Sea raven? Get the app