Mosshead Sculpin

At a glance

Mosshead Sculpin (Clinocottus globiceps) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.

Confirmed by 1,103 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Oregon, and British Columbia the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Named for the dense tuft of cirri crowning its distinctively large, rounded head.
• Ranges from Alaska south to central California in rocky intertidal tidepools.
• Typically 2 to 4 inches long with superb camouflage among encrusting algae.
• Tolerates the wide temperature and salinity swings typical of exposed intertidal pools.

Where Mosshead Sculpin are seen

• California588 iNat obs
• Oregon256 iNat obs
• British Columbia126 iNat obs
• Washington125 iNat obs
• Alaska8 iNat obs

Background

Clinocottus globiceps, commonly known as the mosshead sculpin or globe-headed sculpin, is a species of fish in the family Cottidae, native to the northeastern Pacific.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Mosshead Sculpin article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.