Twohorn Sculpin, Icelus bicornis

Twohorn sculpin, Icelus bicornis
The twohorn sculpin is a small fish, only reaching 6.5 cm in length. It has a relatively large head, mouth and eyes, and a body that tapers rapidly from a wide head to a thin caudal peduncle. One sharp spine is located in front of each eye and two spines behind. Like other sculpins, the twohorn has two dorsal fins – the first is spiny, while the second is soft rayed. Twohorn sculpins also possess the large, fan-shaped pectoral fins and slender pelvics that are characteristic of all sculpins. The caudal fin is only slightly rounded and has dark, vertical bars and a black spot at the base. The body colour is yellowish, with many dark blotches on the back and sides.

Little is known about the reproduction of this sculpin, but mating apparently occurs in late summer. Females produce anywhere from 100 to 400 eggs, depending on their body size.

The twohorn sculpin occurs from Greenland to Baffin Island and Labrador, through the Arctic Ocean to the Beaufort Sea. In Canada, this fish occurs as far north as the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, but elsewhere is found off Norway and in the Siberian Sea. It is a benthic species that is more abundant in cold arctic and subarctic waters than in the south of its range. They are typically found at depths of 40 to 180 metres, but have been found as deep as 500 metres. Like all sculpins, adults are sluggish.