Longhorn Sculpin

The Longhorn Sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) is a bottom-dwelling marine fish of the family Cottidae, native to the northwest Atlantic Ocean from Labrador to Virginia. It is one of the largest and most frequently encountered sculpins along the New England and Canadian Maritime coastline, often found in bays, harbors, and continental shelf waters. The species gets its common name from the prominent, horn-like spines that project from its preopercle (cheek bone). Though not a target of commercial fisheries, it is a familiar bycatch species and a common subject of coastal marine surveys. Its robust, tadpole-shaped body and heavily armored head make it instantly recognizable to anglers and researchers working New England waters.

The Longhorn Sculpin is identified by its oversized, broad head relative to a tapering, scaleless body.

• Two long, curved spines ('horns') project from each side of the head near the gill cover
• Coloration ranges from olive-green to yellowish-brown with irregular dark saddle blotches along the back
• Large, rounded, fan-like pectoral fins used to prop against the substrate
• Two separate dorsal fins, the first spiny and the second soft-rayed
• Grows to 30-45 cm, occasionally larger It can be distinguished from the similar Shorthorn Sculpin by its noticeably longer preopercular spines and more slender caudal peduncle. The mouth is large and slightly upturned, and the eyes sit high on the head.

Longhorn Sculpin inhabit cold, temperate coastal waters of the northwest Atlantic, ranging from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Labrador south to Chesapeake Bay. They favor sandy, muddy, or gravel seafloors in bays, estuarine mouths, and on the continental shelf, typically from just below the low-tide line down to about 130 meters. The species tolerates a wide range of temperatures and salinities, making it common in both open coastal waters and semi-enclosed harbors. Juveniles often occupy shallower nearshore zones, while larger adults move into deeper, cooler water offshore, especially during summer months.

Longhorn Sculpin are solitary, sedentary bottom-dwellers that rely on camouflage and stillness rather than speed to avoid predators. They rest motionless on the seafloor, using their broad pectoral fins to brace against currents, and dart short distances when disturbed. As opportunistic carnivores, they ambush small fish, shrimp, crabs, worms, and other invertebrates that pass within reach. Spawning occurs in colder months, typically late autumn through winter, when females deposit adhesive egg masses on the seafloor that males may guard. The species plays a modest role in coastal food webs, serving as both predator of small invertebrates and prey for larger fish and seabirds.