Icelus spatula Gilbert & Burke, 1912
Spatulate sculpin
photo by Miller, T.

Family:  Cottidae (Sculpins)
Max. size:  21 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 160.0 g; max. reported age: 7 years
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 12 - 930 m
Distribution:  Arctic to Northwest Atlantic: Ungava Bay, Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada and Greenland; Kara Sea and southeastern part of Barents Sea (Ref. 4698).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18-22; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 13-18. Young with 2 dark blotches on body, which break up into small dark brown spots in adults; spinous dorsal fin with 1-2 round dark patches, soft part with a few comparatively broad dark stripes; upper part of pectoral fin with transverse stripes; anal and pelvic fins colorless; caudal fin with irregular spots (Ref. 4698).
Biology:  Found on sand or sandy-mud bottoms with stones with salinities of 24.7-34.2 ppt (Ref. 4698). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds mainly large bottom invertebrates, rarely small mollusks (Ref. 4698).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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