Sea scorpion

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Sea scorpion
Sea scorpion

Sea scorpion

Systematics
Order : Perch-like (Perciformes)
Subordination : Cottoidei
Partial order : Bull relatives (Cottales)
Family : Dickkopf bullheads (Psychrolutidae)
Genre : Myoxocephalus
Type : Sea scorpion
Scientific name
Myoxocephalus scorpius
Linnaeus , 1758
Sea scorpion - dead cub
small sea scorpion on paternoster rod

The sea ​​scorpion ( Myoxocephalus scorpius ) is a species of fish from the family of the thick-headed bullheads (Psychrolutidae) living in the North Atlantic . Its distribution area extends from the Bay of Biscay across the sea around the British Isles, the North Sea , the Baltic Sea , along the coast of Norway , to the southern Barents Sea and the White Sea . It also comes from the Faroe Islands , Iceland , on the southeast and western coast of Greenland , in the Davis Strait , around Baffin Island , on the coast of Labrador , in Hudson and James Bay , around Newfoundland and south to the height of New York before.

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It lives on sandy or muddy soils between stones and algae from the low water line to a depth of 200 meters. The mostly nocturnal predatory fish feeds on poly-bristles , amphipods , larger crustaceans and fish.

features

The sea scorpion can be up to 60 centimeters long. His head is beefy, his mouth big. The skull is provided with two longitudinal keels. The gill cover is spiked. The longest sting does not extend to the rear edge of the gill cover. The scales along the lateral line organ have no bumps, the scales above and below the lateral line are rough.

Fin formula : dorsal VII – XI / 13–19, anal 9–15

Reproduction

The spawning season of sea scorpions is winter. The males at this time have a red, white-spotted belly. When mating, the females are surrounded by the male with their large, rough pectoral and pelvic fins. About 2500 eggs, 2 to 2.5 mm in size, are laid in clumps. The spawn is guarded by the male until the 5 to 8 mm long larvae hatch after 5 weeks. The larvae initially live pelagic until they pass over to the bottom life of the adult fish with a length of 15 mm. They become sexually mature at the age of 2. Males are then 14-25 cm long, females 15-30 cm.

literature

  • Bent J. Muus, Jørgen G. Nielsen: The marine fish of Europe in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Atlantic. Kosmos, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-440-07804-3 .

Web links

Commons : Myoxocephalus scorpius  - Collection of images, videos and audio files