Fourspine sculpin (Cottus kazika)

Image source: Jo's Animal Database
General data
- Main name: Fourspine sculpin
- Climates: Temperate, Mountain
- Habitat: Catadromous
- Native: Asia
- Distribution: Sea of Japan (East Sea), Gonokawa River
Classification
- Genus: Cottus - Bullheads
- Family: Cottidae - Cottids
- Order: Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
The fourspine sculpin (Cottus kazika) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. The fourspine sculpin Cottus kazika is indigenous to Japan and found in Honshu except for the waters facing the Seto Inland Sea, and was also found in southern Shikoku and eastern Kyushu. This species has a catadromous lifestyle and migrates as juveniles from the sea to the middle reaches of rivers to grow. It reaches a maximum length of 30 cm (11.8 in).