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California Fish Website Species
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Rough Sculpin, Cottus asperrimus
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Appearance
and Identification:
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Small and slim, maximum 81 mm SL
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Body covered with prickles, giving “rough” feel
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Light to purplish brown, dusky sides with 4-5 blotches, speckled
underside
o
Dorsal fin brown to red with streaks
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Fin spines/rays: pelvic 1 spine/3 rays, 1st dorsal 5-7
spines, 2nd dorsal 17-19 rays, anal 13-17 rays, pectoral 14-16
rays
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Lateral line (incomplete): doesn’t extend past posterior
margin of 2nd dorsal, 19-29 pores
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Life History:
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Rough sculpins are primarily
found in clear, cool, fast water.
They live in spring-fed streams where water temperatures rarely
exceed 15°C and occupy areas with aquatic vegetation and a
sand or gravel substrate. While rough sculpins
have shown a preference for cool water, they are capable of surviving in
lakes or reservoirs where surface water temperatures reach 30°C. They are commonly found in association
with marbled sculpins, rainbow trout, Sacramento
suckers, tui chubs, and Pit-Klamath brook
lampreys. Feeding occurs during
both day and night, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Prey such as amphipods and isopods are
captured at night, and are generally larger and more active than daytime
prey. Throughout the year rough sculpins feed on chironomid
and baetid mayfly larvae, though they tend to
avoid snails and stonefly larvae.
The diversity in a sculpins diet increases
with body size. Rough sculpins grow slower than other sculpin
species. Both sexes grow at a
similar rate, though male sculpins reach larger
maximum sizes. They reach sexual
maturity in around 2 years and when they are bigger than 35 mm SL. The time of spawning varies between
streams, with some populations spawning in fall to winter, and others
spawning in winter through spring.
Males find a secure nest site in various kind of habitat, where they
try to entice females to spawn. Egg
production is size dependent, with most females producing 140-580 large
eggs. One male might have 800 to
3,000 eggs in a nest which he guards for several weeks till the larvae
hatch. The newly emerged larvae
remain close to the nest while developing.
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Links to Other Research
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Here's a list of California watersheds where Rough
Sculpin may be found.
© 2003 - Regents of the University of California
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Communication Services
E-Mail Web Master
ANR
Non-Discrimination Statement
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