Woolly Sculpin

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Half Moon Bay, California, September 2023. Length: 7.4 cm (2.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis, Juvenile. Fish caught from the coastal waters off San Diego, California, January 2020. Length: 7.7 cm (3.0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, San Diego, California.

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Diego, California, December 2020. Length: 7.7 cm (3.0 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Josh Leisen (joshadventures.com), Gaylord, Michigan.

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis. Fish caught from the coastal waters off Half Moon Bay, California, July 2012. Length: 10.0 cm (3.9 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Kenneth Tse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis. Fish caught from coastal waters off Half Moon Bay, California, September 2023. Length: 10.4 cm (4.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.

The Woolly Sculpin, Clinocottus analis, is a member of the Sculpin or Cottidae Family, that is also known under the incorrectly spelled Wooly Sculpin and in Mexico as charrasco lanudo. Globally, there are six species in the genus Clinocottus of which three are found in Mexican waters and all three are found in the Pacific Ocean.

The Woolly Sculpin has an elongated tapering body with a large, depressed, flattened, and wide head. They are speckled and mottled and come in a wide variety of colors, including green, greenish-black, and brown; some also have reddish tinges. Their anal and first dorsal fins have bars and are similar to the body in color; their caudal fin is dark; and their second dorsal fin and pectoral fins are lighter in color with subtle bars. They have the ability to change colors to match their habitat. Their back and head are densely covered with cirri and prickles and the rear of their upper jaw has one or two cirri. They have a pair of large eyes on top of their head and a large broad mouth equipped with numerous small teeth. Their anal fin has 12 to 15 rays; their caudal fin is rounded; and their dorsal fin has 8 to 10 spines and 15 to 18 rays. Their gill covers have a large spine that ends in 2 or 2 sharp spines. They have 5 to 7 gill rakers. They do not have scales. Their lateral line is straight.

The Woolly Sculpin is a demersal species that is found within sand, gravel, small rocks, and bedrock and in intertidal areas among algae beds at depths up to 18 m (60 feet); large fish are found in areas with more cover. They reach a maximum of 18.0 cm (7.0 inches) in length with males growing faster and becoming larger than females. They are found in water temperatures between 6oC (43oF) and 22oC (77oC) and are non-migratory. They can survive rapid temperature fluctuations and rapid changes in salinity. They also have the ability to breathe air and can survive for up to 24 hours out of water. They are ambush predators that lie in wait and are active 24 hours per day consuming crustaceans, mollusks, and other small benthic prey. Reproduction is oviparous with internal fertilization and spawning occurring in shallow coastal waters. Each female lays several batches of 50 to 1,300 eggs multiple times per year. They are interesting scientifically as their blood plasma is green, which is attributed to the presence of biliverdin. Males have lifespans of up to eight years; females have lifespans of up to six years.

The Woolly Sculpin is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found from just south of Guerrero Negro, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

From a conservation perspective the Woolly Sculpin has not been formally evaluated. They are small in stature and of interest to most.