Scientific Name
Psychrolutes phrictus

Common Name
Blob sculpin

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-20; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 14. Many small cirri scattered on head and body; no preopercular spine; branchiostegal membranes fused to isthmus; peritoneum pale (Ref. 559).

Classification

Classified By

Stein & Bond, 1978

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Fatheads (Psychrolutidae)

Distribution

Region

North Pacific

Distribution

North Pacific: Japan (Ref. 559) and the Bering Sea to off San Diego, California, USA.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

500 m

Depth To - meters

2800 m

Zone

bathydemersal

Environment

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 500 - 2800 m (Ref. 50610)

Trophic Level

3.48 s.e. 0.57 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

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

70.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5005 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (68 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated