Chordata · chordates

Longhorn sculpin

Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus

Cottidae · sculpinsIUCN: Not evaluated
Longhorn sculpin
Photo: The NorthEast Fisheries Science Center historical photo archives · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized

A spiny-headed bottom fish common in Northeast trawls.

Fun factIt makes a growling sound when picked up.

Waters
Northeast US, Northwest Atlantic
Depth zone
Coastal shallows & estuaries, Continental shelf
Diet
Crabs & shrimp
Size
Up to 45 cm

Classification

Chordata › Actinopterygii › Perciformes › Cottidae

  1. Kingdom Animalia animals
    • Many-celled organisms that eat other living things for energy (heterotrophs)
    • Cells have no cell walls
    • Most can move at some stage of life
  2. Clade Bilateria bilateral animals
    • Body has a left and right side that mirror each other (bilateral symmetry)
    • Head end with concentrated nerves; three tissue layers
    • Includes about 99% of all living animal species
  3. Clade Deuterostomia deuterostomes
    • In the embryo, the first opening becomes the anus and the mouth forms second
    • Includes echinoderms and chordates
  4. Phylum Chordata chordates
    • At some stage of life: a stiffening rod along the back (notochord)
    • A hollow nerve cord along the back (dorsal)
    • Slits in the throat (pharyngeal slits) and a tail past the anus
  5. Subphylum Vertebrata vertebrates
    • A skull (cranium) protecting a brain
    • Backbone or similar support around the nerve cord
    • Includes fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals
  6. Infraphylum Gnathostomata jawed vertebrates
    • Jawed vertebrates: jaws formed from gill arches
    • Paired fins or limbs
    • Includes all fishes except hagfish and lampreys, plus all tetrapods
  7. Superclass Osteichthyes bony vertebrates
    • Bony vertebrates: skeleton made largely of bone
    • Most have a lung or swim bladder
    • Includes ray-finned and lobe-finned fishes and all tetrapods
  8. Class Actinopterygii ray-finned fishes
    • Ray-finned fishes: fins are webs of skin held up by thin bony rays
    • Usually a gas-filled swim bladder for buoyancy
    • About half of all vertebrate species
  9. Infraclass Teleostei teleost fishes
    • Teleosts: symmetrical tail fin
    • Jaws that can push forward to grab prey (protrusible)
    • About 96% of all living fishes
  10. Cohort Euteleostei salmon, cod, perch & kin
    • A huge group that includes salmon, cod, and all spiny-finned fishes
  11. Clade Acanthomorpha spiny-rayed fishes
    • Spiny-rayed fishes: true spines in the front of the fins
    • Includes most familiar marine fishes
  12. Superorder Acanthopterygii spiny-finned fishes
    • Spiny-finned fishes: sharp spines in the front of the dorsal and anal fins
    • Pelvic fins usually under the pectoral fins
  13. Clade Percomorpha perch-like fishes
    • The perch-like fishes: the largest group of vertebrates
    • Pelvic fins with one spine and five rays (in most)
  14. Clade Eupercaria wrasses, groupers, pufferfishes & kin
    • A very large group including wrasses, groupers, snappers, drums, anglerfishes, and pufferfishes
  15. Order Perciformes perches, groupers & sculpins
    • Perches, groupers, scorpionfishes, and sculpins in this modern classification
  16. Suborder Cottoidei sculpins, snailfishes & eelpouts
    • Sculpins, snailfishes, eelpouts, and relatives: mostly cold-water bottom fishes
  17. Family Cottidae sculpins
    • Sculpins: large, spiny heads
    • Most have no scales, or only small prickles
  18. Genus Myoxocephalus
    • Species in the same genus are very close relatives and often look alike.
  19. Species Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus Longhorn sculpin

Closest relatives in the guide