Ciliata septentrionalis (Collett, 1875)
Northern rockling
Ciliata septentrionalis
photo by FAO

Family:  Gaidropsaridae (Rocklings)
Max. size:  20 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 10 - 90 m, oceano-estuarine
Distribution:  Northeast Atlantic: around the British Isles and northward along the European coasts to northern Norway. Also found at the Faeroe Islands and Iceland.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 48-51; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 41-43. Head relatively large, less than five times in SL. Skin fold above the upper lip with three pairs of lobes or small barbels. First fin ray followed by a row of small, fleshy filaments (Ref. 1371). One barbel on the lower jaw and four on the snout (Ref. 35388).
Biology:  Found in the sublittoral zone, on sand or mud bottoms. Feed mostly on decapod crustaceans, lobsters, crabs, mysids and polychaetes (Ref. 3663). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Spawning may take place in deeper waters (Ref. 57987).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 October 2014 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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