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Cottus gulosus

(Girard, 1854)

Riffle Sculpin

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103055
Element CodeAFC4E02140
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderPerciformes
FamilyCottidae
GenusCottus
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
This is the broad concept of Cottus gulosus. Phylogenetic studies found several distinct lineages within this species complex; some, but not all, have been described (Baumsteiger et al. 2012, 2014; Moyle and Campbell 2022).

Many of the early records for Cottus gulosus sensu lato may be in fact C. asper, C. klamathensis, C. pitensis, or C. perplexus (Moyle 1976). Cottus shasta is a synonym.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-11-09
Change Date1996-09-06
Edition Date2012-04-05
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Range Extent Comments
Range includes Pacific Slope drainages from Puget Sound, Washington, to the Coquille River, Oregon; Sacramento-San Joaquin drainage, California; and streams in San Francisco Bay region; absent from Trinity, Klamath, and Rogue river drainages (Page and Burr 2011).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
In California, populations are increasingly isolated from one another and subject to local extirpation; the species is quite vulnerable to habitat changes that reduce flows or increase temperatures (Moyle 2002). Populations show considerable ability to recover (slowly) from declines caused by drought or toxic substances (Moyle 2002). Populations can live in cold permanent flows immediately below dams (Moyle 2002).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat includes sand and gravel riffles of headwaters and creeks; sand-gravel runs and backwaters of small to large rivers (Page and Burr 2011). This sculpin is most common in cool headwater streams where gravelly riffles are present. In coastal streams, it occurs in a wide variety of habitats when other sculpins are not present. It can withstand brackish water. Spawning occurs in riffles on undersides of rocks or inside cavities in submerged logs (Wydoski and Whitney 1979).

Reproduction

Spawning occurs in late February, March and April. Females carry between 104-449 eggs, depending on their size. Male guards nest. Eggs hatch in 11 days at 15 C (Moyle 1976). Reaches maturity at end of second year. Seldom lives more than 4 years.
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS4Yes
CaliforniaS4Yes
WashingtonS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modifications———
7.2 - Dams & water management/use———

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Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Oat Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,223
References (18)
  1. Baumsteiger, J., A. P. Kinziger, and A. Aguilar. 2012. Life history and biogeographic diversification of an endemic western North American freshwater fish clade using a comparative species tree approach. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65:940-952.
  2. Baumsteiger, J., A.P. Kinziger, S.B. Reid., and A. Aguilar. 2014. Complex phylogeography and historical hybridization between sister taxa of freshwater sculpin (<i>Cottus</i>). Molecular Ecology, 23, 2602-2618. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12758
  3. Koster, W. J. 1936. The life history and ecology of the sculpins (Cottidae) in central New York. Ph.D. thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
  4. Koster, W. J. 1937. The food of the sculpin (Cottidae) in central New York. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 66:374-382.
  5. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  6. Master, L. L. 1996. Synoptic national assessment of comparative risks to biological diversity and landscape types: species distributions. Summary Progress Report submitted to Environmental Protection Agency. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia. 60 pp.
  7. Master, L. L. and A. L. Stock. 1998. Synoptic national assessment of comparative risks to biological diversity and landscape types: species distributions. Summary Report submitted to Environmental Protection Agency. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 36 pp.
  8. Mongillo, Paul E. (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Management Program). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.
  9. Moyle, P. B. 1976a. Inland fishes of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. 405 pp.
  10. Moyle, P. B. 2002. Inland fishes of California. Revised and expanded. University of California Press, Berkeley. xv + 502 pp.
  11. Moyle, P.B. and M.A. Campbell. 2022. Cryptic species of freshwater Sculpin (Cottidae: Cottus) in California, USA. Zootaxa,5154 (5): 501-527. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5154.5.1
  12. Nelson, J. S. 1984. Fishes of the world. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York. xv + 523 pp.
  13. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  14. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  15. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  16. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  17. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  18. Wydoski, R. S., and R. R. Whitney. 1979. Inland fishes of Washington. The University of Washington Press, Seattle. 220 pp.