Bighead sculpin | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
Family: | Cottidae |
Genus: | Batrachocottus |
Species: | B. baicalensis
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Binomial name | |
Batrachocottus baicalensis
Dybowski, 1874
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Synonyms | |
Cottus baicalensis Dybowski, 1874 |
The bighead sculpin (Batrachocottus baicalensis) is a species of sculpin fish that is endemic to the Lake Baikal watershed in Siberia, Russia. [1] It typically lives on rocky bottoms, often in places with sponges, at depths of 5 to 70 m (16–230 ft), but can occur as deep as 120 m (390 ft). [2] Its colour varies from grayish to brownish or greenish depending on the bottom type. [2] It can reach up to 22 cm (8.7 in) in length, but most are 13–16 cm (5.1–6.3 in). [2] It feeds on a wide range of smaller animals such as young fish, insect larvae, amphipods, molluscs and oligochaetes. [2] Breeding is in the spring where the female lays 618 to 1622 eggs, which are guarded by the male. [2]
The bighead sculpin is variously considered to belong either to the family Cottocomephoridae, [1] Cottidae [3] or Abyssocottidae. [4]