Ascelichthys rhodorus Jordan & Gilbert, 1880

Body Form

The rosylip sculpin, Ascelichthys rhodorus Jordan & Gilbert, 1880, has a rather robust body and a broad, compressed head. Both its body and head are covered in scaleless, naked skin. Its mouth is large, extending back to near the rear edge of its large eye.

Teeth and Fins

Villiform teeth are present on the jaws, vomer, and palatine, and there is a simple, hooked spine on the preoperculum. Its dorsal fins have a total of 7 to 10 spines and 17 to 20 soft rays, while its anal fin is supported by 13 to 16 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded.

Coloration and Size

This fish is dark olive with greenish tints, and it has white, saddle-shaped blotches along its back that start behind the head; these blotches are typically rather indistinct. The belly is dusky, and the lips are reddish on most individuals. The maximum published total length for this species is 15 cm (5.9 in).

Range and Habitat

The rosylip sculpin occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the western coast of North America, ranging from Sitka, Alaska south to San Mateo, central California. It inhabits the intertidal zone, where it lives in tide pools in rocky shore areas on exposed coasts. It can stay out of water under rocks or within algal growths, and can breathe air when exposed as the tide falls.