A sculpin is a type of fish that belongs to the superfamily Cottoidea in the order Scorpaeniformes. As of 2006, this superfamily contains 7 families, 94 genera, and 387 species.
The Scorpaeniformes are a diverse order of ray-finned fish, including the lionfishes and sculpins, but have also been called the Scleroparei. It is one of the five largest orders of bony fishes by number of species, with over 1,320.
The Cottidae are a family of fish in the superfamily Cottoidea, the sculpins. It is the largest sculpin family, with about 275 species in 70 genera. They are referred to simply as cottids to avoid confusion with sculpins of other families.
Agonidae is a family of small, bottom-dwelling, cold-water marine fish. Common names for members of this family include poachers, Irish lords, sea ravens, alligatorfishes, starsnouts, hooknoses, and rockheads. They are notable for having elongated bodies covered by scales modified into bony plates, and for using their large pectoral fins to move in short bursts. The family includes about 59 species in some 25 genera, some of which are quite widespread.
The fish family Psychrolutidae contains over 35 recognized species in 8 genera. This family consists of bottom-dwelling marine sculpins shaped like tadpoles, with large heads and bodies that taper back into small, flat tails. The skin is loosely attached and movable, and the layer underneath it is gelatinous. The eyes are placed high on the head, focused forward closer to the tip of the snout. Members of the family generally have large, leaf-like pectoral fins and lack scales, although some species are covered with soft spines. This is important to the species as the depths in which they live are highly pressurized and they are ambush/opportunistic/foraging predators that do not expend energy unless they are forced to.
Cottus is a genus of the mainly freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. They are often referred to as the "freshwater sculpins", as they are the principal genus of sculpins to be found in fresh water. They are native to the Palearctic and Nearctic.
The scaled sculpins, Icelus, are a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. Most of the fishes in this genus are found in the northern Pacific Ocean but they also occur in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Clinocottus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. They are nearshore benthic fishes native to the northeastern Pacific Ocean. They are mentioned as sharpnose sculpins.
Archistes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. the two species in this genus are found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
Artediellus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. Most of the fishes in this genus are found in the northern Pacific Ocean but they also occur in the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.
Artedius is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The rosylip sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to central California where it is an inhabitant of tidepools and other intertidal environments. This species grows to a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) TL. This species is the only known member of its monospecific genus Ascelichthys.
Enophrys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the northern and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Icelinusis a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the northern and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Triglops is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the North Pacific, Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.
Cottoidei is a suborder of ray-finned fishes which, according to the 5th edition of Fishes of the World, is placed within the order Scorpaeniformes, alongside the scorpionfishes, flatheads, eelpouts, sticklebacks and related fishes.
Artedius harringtoni, also known as the scalyhead sculpin or plumose sculpin, is a demersal species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. The species is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Artedius lateralis, also known as the smoothhead sculpin or round-nosed sculpin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. The species, commonly found in the intertidal zone and to depths of 43 feet, is native to the northern Pacific, from Russia and the Bering Sea to Baja California. Growing to a length of 14 centimeters, it takes its name from the lack of scales on its head.
Artedius notospilotus, or the bonehead sculpin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. Commonly found in the intertidal zone to depths of 170 feet, the species has a range extending from the Puget Sound, Washington to the Baja California peninsula. It serves as the host for Podocotyle enophrysi, a species of parasitic flatworm.
The spinynose sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska south to Washington and the San Juan Islands. The spinynose sculpin is the only species in the monospecific genus Asemichthys. This sculpin lays its eggs on the egg masses of the buffalo sculpin, thought to be a strategy to take advantage of the larger fish’s egg guarding behaviour.
