Clinocottus analis (Woolly Sculpin)
Credit: Dan Wright
about the species
The Woolly Sculpin (Clinocottus analis) is a sculpin of the family Cottidae. It gets the name Woolly Sculpin from the abundant cirri present on its head and alongside its dorsal fin. C. analis is a demersal resident of tide pools in the rocky intertidal, though they do occur sub tidally down to 18 meters. They range from Central Baja California, Mexico to Point Mendocino. Along much of California’s coast C. analis is the most commonly found fish in high intertidal tidepools.
why species was selected
Clinocottus analis is a conspicuous member of one of California’s most iconic landscapes, the rocky intertidal. The family Cottidae dominates the community of vertebrates found in tidepools along California’s coast and C. analis is commonly found in all 3 coastal USDA ecoregions. The impressive adaptations of this resident intertidal fish make it an excellent candidate for genomic study.
