Meristic formula D1, VI-VII; D2, 9-11; A, I + 9-10; P, 20  photo: Jakov Dulčić

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body oblong, round and deep. Dorsal spines covered by skin forming a distinct crest. Second dorsal and anal fins round and opposite each other. Caudal fin round. Sucker disc on the belly. Along the body three well separated longitudinal rows of bony tubercles and many small denticles scattered between the rows and on the head. Small terminal mouth reaching back to vertical of eye. color : greenish-grey, darker on the back. Belly light grey. Some of the tubercles are darker than the background. common size : 10-50 cm (max. 60 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The unique body shape with the three rows of tubercles does not resemble any other fish in the Mediterranean. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds on large variety of invertebrates and to a lesser extent on small fish. Spawning season in the Atlantic from February to May. Demersal spawning occurs in shallow water. The male guard the eggs for 6-7 weeks until hatching. Larvae planktonic. habitat : swims near the substrate usually at depths of 50-150 m but descends to 400 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Croatia, Molunat Bay, 2006 [2004]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : North Atlantic from England (rarely in Spain) to Greenland and from New Foundland to New Jersey. Mediterranean : Croatia, Molunat Bay (Southern Adriatic Sea) (Dulčić and Golani, 2006). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare, only a single specimen was recorded from the Southern Adriatic. MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via Gibraltar or by ballast water. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS Caught occasionally in fishery but not considered a target species.

KEY REFERENCES Davenport J., 1985. Synopsis of biological data on the lumpsucker Cyclopterus lumpus (Linnaeus, 1758). FAO Fisheries Synopsis, FAO of the United Nationes, Rome. Dulćić J. and Golani D., 2006. First record of Cyclopterus lumpus L. 1758 (Osteichthyes: Cyclopteridae) in the Mediterranean. J. Fish Biology, 69: 300-303. Stein D.L., 1986. Cyclopteride. In: Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.Whitehead  P.J.P., Bauchot M.L., Hureau J.C., Nielsen J. and Tortonese E. (eds). Vol. III. pp. 1269-1274. Paris: UNESCO.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet : January 2009 ©ciesm 2002