About Cottus aleuticus Gilbert, 1896
Coastrange sculpin, scientifically Cottus aleuticus Gilbert, 1896, can be distinguished from other related species by several unique traits: it has only one pore under its chin, lacks palatine teeth, and has no distinct gap between its two dorsal fins. Adult Coastrange sculpins can reach a maximum length of 17 cm, while their average length is just 6 cm. The maximum reported lifespan for this species is 8 years. Breeding females are generally larger than breeding males. Breeding males are almost entirely black, with a thin orange trim along the edge of the first dorsal fin. This sculpin is found only along the Pacific coast of North America. Its range extends from Bristol Bay and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, south to Santa Barbara County, California. Isolated populations of the species also exist in Alaska's Kobuk River, Lake Washington in Washington state, and Cultus Lake in British Columbia. Sporadic occurrences have been recorded in streams as far south as Mendocino County, California. Coastrange sculpins live mostly in rivers and streams, specifically in riffles and glides with coarse or cobblestone bottoms at depths between 0.20m and 1.0m. At night, they move into shallower, calmer waters along river edges. They occupy nearly the same habitats as the prickly sculpin (Cottus asper), so the two species meet and interact regularly. Coastrange sculpins also commonly encounter salmon and three-spined stickleback in their habitats.
