Saddleback sculpin
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Scorpaeniformes
Family:	Cottidae
Genus:	Oligocottus
Species:	O. rimensis
Binomial name
Oligocottus rimensis (Greeley, 1899)
Synonyms
Rusciculus rimensis Greeley, 1899 Stelgidonotus latifrons Gilbert & Thompson, 1905

Saddleback Sculpin[]

The Saddleback Sculpin (Oligocottus rimensis) is a fish species in the sculpin family Cottidae. It is known to inhabit the North American coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is a very understudied fish with limited knowledge of behavioral patterns, lifecycle and reproduction.

Phylogeny and taxonomy[]

The Saddleback Sculpin, or better known in Mexico as Charrasco Ensillado, has had three predominant nomenclatures the first, described by Greeley, as Rusciculus Rimensis ^[5]. This was followed up by the transition to Stelgidonotus latifrons in Gilbert and Thompson's article from 1905 ^[9],it is to be noted that this was not a name well taken to instead sticking to Rusciculus Rimensis ^[5]. The subfamily Oligocottinae was introduced in 1926 using morphological similarities between the 'Oligocottus type' as well as several additional characteristics. These included: three soft pelvic rays, a 'moderate number' of dorsal spines, preopercular spines omitting the antler like processes, and the stipulation that there were bands of palatine teeth ^[3]. Originally, these members of Oligocottinae were split into two tribes which now make up the two modern day genus of Clinocottus and Oligocottus. In 1944, Bolin formally united fish including the Saddleback Sculpin under the genus, Oligocottus. The five species within the genus Oligocottus was proven correct by the Buser paper of 2014 to be a strong monophyletic clade^[3].

Anatomy and Physiology[]

Saddleback Sculpins are a small fish in size averaging 4cm long but able to grow to a maximum of 6.2cm long ^[1]. They have an elongated body which tapers off from a blunt round head to tail. The head has a single preopercular spine which can be used to identify the Saddleback from other sculpins ^[7]. The prickles running along their whole body can also be used to identify them ^[3]. They have five to six gill rakers and the body is covered in papillae ^[4] with larger scales running laterally, usually in front of the pores. The dorsal fin has 8-10 spines with 16-19 rays, the pectoral fin has 13-15 rays, the pelvic fin has 1 spine and 3 rays, the anal fin has 13-15 rays, and the caudal fin is slightly rounded ^[7]. They have an olivaceous color pattern ^[9] varying from shades of red and green dorsally to tan and green ventrally with dorsal mottling’s creating 5 distinct saddle-like markings ^[1]. The head has a black spot on top and a broken band, sometimes branching down running laterally along the body ^[5].

Distribution and Habitat[]

The Saddleback Sculpin is distributed along the west coast of North America from the sub tropics of Guerra Negro in Mexico ^[7] up to the temperate seas of the of Alaska [6]. Their preferred habitat has been the lower part of the intertidal zone among rocky substrates, kelp-based habitats ^[2], and eel grass. It is possible that their distribution is larger than currently known as research on them is minimal. There is also indication in related works that they may also live in the subtidal zones.

Reproduction and Lifecycle[]

Very little is known about the intricacies of the Saddleback Sculpin's lifestyle due to few studies on it. Despite this, through related studies there can be some indication of behavioral patterns found. It is indicated that they follow a seasonal migration occurring in much higher densities in the intertidal zone during the months of November to February. This is not in correlation with changing food dynamics and therefore is most likely a result of reproductive patterns. On this theory adults come to the intertidal zone to reproduce as egg predation is greatly reduced compared to subtidal zones ^[8].

Feeding[]

Saddleback Sculpins are specialized feeders with a smaller diet compared to some other Sculpin species ^[8]. Although they follow a set diet, the Saddleback Sculpin's feeding habits change as they develop. They predominantly consume gammarid amphipods, sphaeromatid isopods, and harpacticoid copepods. As juveniles, they mostly consume harpacticoids which is replaced with gammarids as they reach adulthood^[8].

Ecology[]

Unlike many other Sculpin species, the Saddleback Sculpin does not remain within the intertidal zone. Instead, it has seasonal intertidal residency therefore its habitat varies ^[8]. As an adaptation to the variation in habitats and the difficulties of living in the intertidal zone the saddleback sculpin is capable breathing and therefore can live for extended periods of time outside a body of water ^[8]. This ability gives it a distinct advantage over competing species and allows better protection to its numerous predators.

References[]

[1] - #359 - Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries v.26 1906. - Full View | HathiTrust Digital Library | HathiTrust Digital Library. (1906). https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015037953984&view=1up&seq=359&q1=Stelgidonotus latifrons

[2] - Beverly Maureen, H. (1991). Tidepool selection and homing behaviour of the bald sculpin, Clinocottus recalvus, on the central  California coast, with notes on other intertidal fish species.

[3] - Buser, T. J., & Fairbanks, A. (2014). THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES IN SCULPINS OF THE SUBFAMILY OLIGOCOTTINAE.

[4] - Buser, T. J., Burns, M. D., & López, J. A. (2017). Littorally adaptive? Testing the link between habitat, morphology, and reproduction in the intertidal sculpin subfamily Oligocottinae (Pisces: Cottoidea). PeerJ, 2017(8). https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3634

[5] - Arthur, B., & Greeley, W. (n.d.). NOTES ON THE TIDE·POOL FISHES OF CALIFORNIA, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF FOUR NEW SPECIES.

[6] - N. Eschmeyer, W., S. Herald, E., & Hamman, H. (1983). A Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America (Peterson Field Guides) by Eschmeyer, Herald, Hammann.pdf. In Houghton Mifflin. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=h_6RNzCo6lAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=A+field+guide+to+Pacific+coast+fishes+of+North+America&ots=p_J_ktYArJ&sig=dZtQrRpBh6QhDOI2_kDR7VG0x9g#v=onepage&q=saddleback sculpin&f=false

[7] - Common Thresher Shark | Mexico – Fish, Birds, Crabs, Marine Life, Shells and Terrestrial Life. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2021, from https://mexican-fish.com/saddleback-sculpin/

[8] - Nelson, J. (1981). STRUCTURE OF  A  ROCKY  INTERTIDAL  FISH  ASSEMBLAGE (Vol. 48106).

[9] - Charles Gilbert, B. H., Thompson, J. C., Kin-caid, T., Thompson, J. C., & Navy, S. (n.d.). NOTES ON THE FISHES OF PUGET SOUND. The following notes are based on collections made at various locali-ties in Puget Sound during the summer of 1903 by. In Proceedings U. S. National Museum.

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