Latin name

Myoxocephalus verrucosus

Other name

Cottus verrucosus

Identification

It is externally similar to the shorthorn sculpin but is slightly larger. The head of the warty sculpin is high and noticeably compressed from the sides. The tubercles on its head are very distinctive, despite their variability. The ocellar tubercles are strong, conical elevations that are rounded at the apex. There is usually one additional ocellar tubercle behind them, and rarely two. Not strongly elevated occipital ridges go backwards from them, ending with strong occipital tubercles. In young individuals, these tubercles are more often conical in shape; in large individuals, they are compressed from the sides. In front of these tubercles, there is usually one, and occasionally two, preoccipital cusps. However, in adult specimens, these cusps often merge to form a short, high crest that is compressed laterally and often double-topped. Sometimes, in large specimens, the occipital and occipital cusps are elongated, and their tips bend slightly backward. All cusps are covered with skin and never have a spongy structure on the surface. The interorbital space is not wide and is concave. Its width varies rather strongly, even among specimens of the same size and sex. It is usually within 13-16% (up to 18%) of the head's length. The skin on the back of the head and in the interorbital space is smooth or covered with small, tubercle-shaped pores that are more pronounced in young specimens. Adults lack antennae on their heads. The preoperculum spines are usually 3, but sometimes 4 (25%), or occasionally a small spike is present between the second and fourth spines (11%). The upper preoperculum spike is moderately long, usually 14-18% of the head's length. The gill stamens are in the form of strongly spiculated plates. On the outer side of the first stigma, there are 1 + 5-8 plates, and on the inner side, there are 1 + 6-8 plates. The pyloric appendages are 8-9. Young specimens have a naked body, but in fish over 10 cm long, there are bony, spiculated, rounded plaques above the lateral line. In adult specimens, these plaques are more often located in the posterior part of the body but can reach the back of the head, especially in males. The plaques are rounded, not hidden in the skin, and armed with numerous spines located in one or two rows along the edge of the lamina, leaving the middle of the lamina unarmed. Below the lateral line, there are scale-like bony plates. The anterior edge of these plates is hidden in the skin, while the posterior edge is equipped with spines. True, rounded, bony plaques are present below the lateral line only in very large specimens, and only in the anterior part of the body.

Features of fish fins

In adult males, the first dorsal fin is markedly enlarged, reaching 20-21% of body length (in females, it reaches 13-15%). Males 13-15 cm long exhibit ridging on the inner surface of the pectoral fin rays, which is well developed in adult males.

Fish colouring

The top and sides of the body are greenish-brown with four darker stripes that are indistinguishable in darkly colored specimens. The abdomen of males is bright brownish-orange with large milky-white spots, and several clearly outlined spots are always present above the anal fin. The first dorsal fin is nearly black with a light spot on the posterior end. The second dorsal and anal fins are dark with several yellowish spots on the apex. The outer surface of the pectoral fins has numerous transverse dark stripes and spots on a lighter background; the ends of the rays are orange. On the inner side of the pectoral fin, there are small, milky-white spots. The pelvic fins have two to three bright, transverse, orange-brown stripes. Females are more pale in color. The belly of the young is light colored. In females close to spawning, it is golden with white spots. The fins lack orange-yellow tones. The transverse bands on the pelvic fins are weak or absent.

Distribution

This species is widespread in the northern Pacific Ocean and the eastern Arctic seas. It is most commonly found in the Bering, East Siberian, Okhotsk, Chukchi, and Laptev seas.

Habitat

The warty sculpin is most common in the coastal zone (up to 15-20 meters), but it was repeatedly encountered in trawl catches and at greater depths (up to 66 meters) in the northern part of the Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea. Along the Siberian coast, it is common in the summer at temperatures close to 0° (from -0.9° to 1.0°) and relatively low salinities (from 15 to 23 ‰). However, in the Bering Strait area and the Bering Sea itself, it was caught at higher temperatures (up to 5° to 7°) and salinities (from 30 to 33.5 ‰).        

Size

Adult males reach lengths of up to 26 cm, while females reach lengths of 30–35 cm or more. The largest specimen, from Anadyr Bay, reached 54 cm. This fish species has a rather large head. In adult specimens (more than 15 cm), the head length is 29.4-32.1% of the body length. In young specimens (up to 13 cm), the head length is 33-34% of the body length. The width at the base of the preoperculum spines is usually 57-64% of the head length, and the head height behind the occipital tubercles is about 80-90% of the head width.

Behavior

It is a sedentary, bottom-dwelling fish. Like some other cold-water fish, it contains antifreeze proteins that allow it to survive at temperatures near or slightly below freezing.

Food and feeding habits

It is a stealthy predator that feeds on fish and large crustaceans, such as Mesidothea and Sclerocrangon.

Reproduction

Spawning appears to occur in late fall. In late September, brightly colored males (20-26 cm in length) and females (23-35 cm) with eggs at stages III-IV of maturity were observed in large numbers near Chaun Bay at a depth of 9-10 m. The bottom temperature was 1°C, and the salinity was 17.7 ‰. About 75% of the catch were females. The ovarian eggs were up to 1.6 mm in diameter.

Fishing

This species is not commercially important.

Relationship with a person

It has no economic value, but it is edible. Local people occasionally use it for food, either frying or smoking it.