Spatulate Sculpin: Icelus spatula Gilbert & Burke, 1912
A moderately abundant and widespread arctic sculpin
Size
- Usually < 14 cm
- Maximum 21 cm
Color & Characteristics
- One row of large, spiny scales beneath the dorsal fins
- Spiny, tubular lateral line scales
- One or two pairs of bony protuberances on top of head
- Caudal peduncle scales absent
- Lateral line scales extending to posterior edge of hypural plate (none on caudal fin rays)
- Genital papilla of males with a spatulate (dorsoventrally flattened) terminal appendage
Habitat
- Arctic-subarctic
- Benthic, at depths of 12–859 m, typically < 365 m in the Arctic
- On mud and sand to pebble substrate
Feeding
- Feed mainly on large benthic prey including shrimp (e.g., Pandalus, Spirontocaris), amphipods, polychaetes; occasionally small molluscs
Life cycle
- Little known
- Spawn in late August–September (in Bering Sea)
- Females <11 cm produce 110–1,000 eggs, large females about 1,100-1,300 eggs
Page Author: CW Mecklenburg & TA Mecklenburg
Updated: March 5, 2011
