Hemilepidotus papilio (Bean, 1880)
Butterfly sculpin
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Cottidae (Sculpins)
Max. size:  45 cm FL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 4 - 320 m
Distribution:  Arctic: Chukchi Sea. North Pacific: Hokkaido, Japan and Sea of Okhotsk and to Buldir Island in the Aleutian chain.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-20; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 16-18. Scales on ventral scale row less than 1/2 the size of those on the dorsal scale row; fin membrane of spiny dorsal well incised; 4 preopercular spines; the 4th simple (Ref. 559).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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