Bull Rout
Myoxocephalus scorpius
Also known as: Short-Spined Sea Scorpion, Shorthorn Sculpin, Father Lasher, Sculpin, Arctic Sculpin
About This Species
A bottom-dwelling fish of cold coastal waters, favouring rocky shorelines, tide pools and shallow inshore seabeds where it lies camouflaged against gravel and stones waiting for prey to pass. It is most easily found at low tide in rock pools or by looking into clear shallow water over a rocky or gravelly bottom along northern coastlines. Cooler months, when it moves into shallower water, tend to offer the best chances of a sighting from shore.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Observe from above the water or pool edge rather than handling the fish, since its spines can cause a painful injury and rough handling stresses a wild animal for no benefit.
- General fisheries and marine wildlife rules apply across the coastal waters where it occurs, and these vary between countries, so any collecting should follow local regulations rather than assumption.
- Looking without touching, and returning any disturbed rocks to their original position, keeps the habitat intact for future sightings.
LCNaNScorpaeniformesCottidae
Seasonal Activity
270,366 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- NaN
- Order
- Scorpaeniformes
- Family
- Cottidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.