Calico Sculpin

Clinocottus embryum

The Calico Sculpin, also known as the mossy sculpin, is a small marine fish found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It can be identified by its rounded caudal fin and small pelvic fins, with a body supported by 8 to 10 dorsal spines and 14 to 17 soft rays. The species has a distinctive blunt spine on the preoperculum and features cirri on its head and lateral line. Typically reaching a maximum length of 7 cm, this fish is well-suited to life in rocky intertidal zones. The Calico Sculpin's range extends from the Bering Sea coast of Alaska down to northern Baja California, Mexico. It inhabits rocky areas in the middle of the intertidal zone, where it is well-adapted for a demersal lifestyle. This species is known for its ability to breathe air, a useful adaptation for life in tide pools. In terms of diet, the Calico Sculpin primarily feeds on barnacle tentacles, supplemented by crustaceans such as amphipods, gammarids, and isopods, as well as insect larvae. Despite its interesting biology, the conservation status of this species has not been evaluated by the IUCN.