Reference Guide > Montana Fish Field Guide > Sculpins > Spoonhead Sculpin
Spoonhead Sculpin - Cottus ricei
Species of Concern
Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S3
Agency Status
USFWS: none
USFS: none
BLM: none
CFWCS Tier: 2
General Description
The spoonhead sculpin is another native Montana Fish of Special Concern due to its limited Montana distribution. Spoonheads are found only in the St. Mary and Waterton river drainages of Glacier National Park, which ultimately drain into Hudson Bay. They inhabit deep lakes as well as streams and provide forage for lake trout, burbot, and other species.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Spoonhead sculpin are light brown with two to four saddles under the second dorsal fin. The underside is whitish. No palatine teeth are present. The body is slender. One pore is located on the midline under the tip of the chin. Prickles, often dense, may cover the entire body, but sometimes are sparse or absent. No other Montana sculpin has the "bison horn" spine on the gill cover.
Distribution
Montana Range
Habitat
Habitat includes small, swift streams to larger rivers, and the shallows and deep water of lakes. They have been taken at depths of over 100 feet.
Food Habits
Most likely, planktonic crustaceans in deep lakes and aquatic insect larvae in inshore regions figure prominently in the diet.
Ecology
They are probably important forage for deep-dwelling fishes.
Reproductive Characteristics
Recent evidence suggests that spawning occurs in late summer or early fall.
Citations & Sources
Holton, G. D. 2003. A field guide to Montana fishes. Mont. Dept. Fish, Wildl. Parks, 95 pp.
Citation for data on this website:
Spoonhead Sculpin — Cottus ricei. Montana Field Guide. Retrieved on February 2, 2009, from http://FieldGuide.mt.gov/detail_AFC4E02230.aspx
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