Autecology of Cottus bairdi.

Abstract

The body morphology of a species is important for determining and defining the area of habitat of which a fish is capable of living. In smaller, relatively confined areas such as streams or rivers, different feeding habits of species, and competition between species can also define the area in which a fish is capable of living in. Sculpins have a very characteristic body morphology. The flatness of the sculpins body is a differentiable characteristic of a benthic fish. The skeletal composition, lack of a swim bladder, and head shape are all factors that help the sculpin retain its benthic position. Sculpins prefer to live in cool, high-flowing streams where oxygen content is high. This is probably because of their ability to hold position on rocks with their fins, and thus the need for supply of highly oxygenated water. The muscle content of the sculpin restrict it to one area because white muscle fatigues easily, and cannot be used for cruising and hovering for long periods of time. Their coloring, as already mentioned, makes it easier to them to escape predation while resting on the rocks.