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Perciformes/Cottoidei (Sculpins) >
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Etymology: Cottiusculus: Greek, kottos = a fish, diminutive; nihonkaiensis: Named for Nihonkai, the Japanese name of the Sea of Japan, which includes most of the distributional range of the species.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 100 - 150 m (Ref. 83439). Temperate
Northwestern Pacific: from the Sea of Japan coasts of Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula, and Volcano Bay, Hokkaido.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 83439); 6.1 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 13. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: simple or weakly bicuspid nasal spines; uppermost preopercular spine not barbed; first dorsal fin not elongated; lateral line extending past base of caudal fin, with 2 or 3 lateral line pores on caudal fin; with ventral lateral and lateral line cirri (Ref. 83439).
Usually occurs on sandy-muddy bottoms (Ref. 83439).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kai, Y. and T. Nakabo, 2009. Taxonomic review of the genus Cottiusculus (Cottoidei: Cottidae) with description of a new species from the sea of Japan. Ichthyol. Res. 56(3):213-226. (Ref. 83439)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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