440 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



KEY TO GULF OF MAINE SCULPINS AND SEA RAVENS 



1. There is only one dorsal fin, the spiny and soft parts being continuous, one with the other Arctic sculpin, p. 453 



There are two separate dorsal fins 2 



2. The first dorsal fin is deeply notched between the spines; the lower jaw and the top of the head are adorned with fleshy 



tags Sea raven, p. 454 



The first dorsal is not deeply notched between the spines; there are no fleshy tags about the head 3 



3. The long spine on each cheek is branched at the tip Staghorn sculpin, p. 452 



The long spine on each cheek is simple, not branched at the tip 4 



4. The anal fin is long (25 rays) ; there is a series of bony plates along each side of the body Mailed sculpin, p. 441 



The anal fin is short (14 rays or fewer): there are no bony plates along the sides of the body 5 



5. The long spine on the cheek is hooked upward Hook-eared sculpin, p. 440 



The long spine on the cheek is straight, not hooked 6 



6. The longest (uppermost) cheek spine is four times as long as the one below it, and reaches back to the margin of the 



gill cover; all the head spines are very sharp Longhorn sculpin, p, 449 



The uppermost cheek spine is not more than twice as long as the one below it, and does not reach more than about 

 half way to the margin of the gill cover; the head spines are blunter 7 



7. Total length more than 9 inches Shorthorn sculpin, p. 445 



Total length less than 8 inches 8 



8. Anal fin with 13 or 14 rays; the soft skin of each side of the throat is pierced by a minute pore close behind the lower 



part of the last gill arch Shorthorn sculpin, young specimens, p. 446 



Anal fin with only 10 or 11 rays; sides of throat behind last gill arch have no pore Grubby, p. 443 



Hook-eared sculpin Artediellus uncinatus (Rein- 

 hard t) 1833 



Arctic Sculpin 



Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 1906, as Artediellus 

 atlanticus Jordan and Evermann. 



Description.- — The most distinctive feature of 

 this species among local sculpins is the long 

 hooklike spine on each cheek, pointing backward 

 and upward, plainly shown in the illustration 

 (fig. 226). There is also a short backward-pointing 

 spine covered by a flap of skin at the upper corner 

 of each gill cover, two short spines on the top of 

 the nose between the two pairs of nostrils, and a 

 pair of blunt knobs'fabove the eyes. Head, 



mouth, and tapering body are of the usual sculpin 

 form. The skin is smooth and naked. The 

 spiny dorsal fin is short (7 to 9 spines) and 

 rounded in outline, the soft dorsal fin is about 

 twice as long (13 rays), and the anal (11-12 raj r s) 

 is a little shorter than the soft dorsal, which it 

 resembles in outline and under which it stands. 

 Each ventral fin consists of three long rays that 

 reach back nearly to the vent; the pectorals, wide 

 at the base and rounded in outline, reach beyond 

 the beginning of the soft dorsal when they are 

 laid back, and the caudal fin is narrower than it is 

 in the commoner Gulf of Maine sculpins. The 

 jaws and the roof of the mouth are armed with 

 several series of small bristle-like teeth. 



//9k sV// */■ 



*&*'■ * w 





Figure 226. — Hook-eared sculpin (Artediellus uncinatus), Massachusetts Bay. 



by H. L. Todd. 



From Jordan and Evermann. Drawing 



