User:Katelyn.carlock/Shorthead sculpin

Description                                                                                                                                                      Shorthead Sculpins are bottom-dwelling small fish, typically sizing around 13 to 15 cm long. They have large heads and fanlike pectoral fins. They have 7-9 dorsal spines, 15-19 dorsal soft rays, and 10-14 anal soft rays. Narrow caudal peduncle. Palatine teeth and coloration being dark brown and yellow (Hendricks 1984).

Habitat                                                                                                                                                                      Shorthead sculpins are small riverine fishes found primarily in the Columbia River watershed of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and some tributaries to Puget Sound in Washington state. They will reside in rocky rifles of cold, clear streams, and occasionally lakes. They are benthic, sedentary, and nocturnal. Inhabit cold and cool water streams embedded with gravel-rocky substrates (Byington 2021).

Diet                                                                                                                                                                           The shorthead sculpin diet resembles the same as other sculpins. They are benthic invertivores meaning they eat primarily aquatic insects, small fish, or trout and salmon eggs. They will spend the days hiding under rocks and then at night prey on the small invertebrates (Johnson 1983).

Reproduction                                                                                                                                                    Females reach sexual maturity around two to three years and males two years of age. Spawning occurs in the sing when water temperature ranges from 8 to 15 degrees Celsius. Sculpins are nest builders. The males will prepare nest which are typically bult underneath rocks. The female will lay the eggs and then leave and then the male fertilizes the eggs. The male stays to guard and care for the eggs (Daw 2021)

Conservation status of these fish are lest concern in United States. Main threats are extended periods of low flows, sudden significant alteration of hydrograph from flow regulation, as well as run off from mining and industrial activities. Another threat is the introduction of non-native species, specific threats from invasive species have yet to have been identified. They have found that the most competition and predation comes from Largemouth Bass, Walleye and Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed pose a moderate to high ecological threat to the Shorthead sculpins. (Canada 2019)