Scientific Name
Nautichthys oculofasciatus

Common Name
Sailfin sculpin

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-30; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 20. Caudal fin rounded, directed upward (Ref. 6885). Color variable, gray above with dark markings and obscure dusky bands, paler below; spinous dorsal darker; other fins except pelvic fins diagonally streaked darker; sometimes red flecks on rayed dorsal and on eyes; a very distinct black band running diagonally down and back through eye (Ref. 6885). A recognizable variant occurs in Knight Inlet, British Columbia - the first caudal fin is dominated by the II, III, I rather than the first four spines and the whole fin is frail and when removed from fluid appears more like a mast than a sail (Ref. 6885).

Classification

Classified By

Girard, 1858

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Sea ravens or sailfin sculpins (Hemitripteridae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: St. Lawrence Island, Alaska to San Miguel Island, southern California, USA. Possibly occurring in Japan (Ref. 2850).

Range

66°N - 34°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

110 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 110 m (Ref. 2850)

Trophic Level

4.05 s.e. 0.68 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

20.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6289 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (17 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=1)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated