Rosylip Sculpin

Ascelichthys rhodorus

The Rosylip Sculpin is a small marine fish found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Sitka, Alaska to central California. It is a member of the Cottidae family, known for its robust body and broad, compressed head. The fish is easily recognizable by its dark olive color with greenish tints and indistinct white saddle-like blotches along its back. Its most distinctive feature is its reddish lips, which give the species its common name. The Rosylip Sculpin can grow up to 15 centimeters in total length. This species inhabits the intertidal zones, particularly in tide pools and rocky shores on exposed coasts. It is well adapted to life in these environments, capable of breathing air when exposed by the falling tide. Divers might encounter this fish in shallow waters, as it is typically found at depths shallower than 10 meters, though it can be found up to 40 meters deep. As for its conservation status, it has not been evaluated by the IUCN. Divers observing this fish should note its preference for intertidal zones and its ability to remain out of water under rocks or within algal growths.