- SCIENTIFIC NAME
- Cottus beldingii
- CLASSIFICATION
- Fish
- LIFE SPAN
- 2-4 Years
- STATE CONSERVATION STATUS
-
- Unprotected
- FEDERAL CONSERVATION STATUS
- Least Concern
- GAME STATUS
- Non-Game
- GAME TYPE
- None
- Washoe
- Humboldt
- Pershing
- Churchill
- Mineral
- Lyon
- Douglas
- Carson City
- Storey
- Elko
- Lander
- Eureka
- White Pine
- Esmeralda
- Nye
- Lincoln
- Clark
Habitat & Range
The Paiute Sculpin can be found throughout the Tahoe, Truckee, Carson, and Walker Basins. In Lake Tahoe Paiute Sculpin tend to hang out in depths less than 200 feet.
- Lakes and reservoirs
- Rivers and streams
Threats
- Predation
- Water Pollution
Natural History
The Paiute Sculpin is a small fish that likes to hang out at the bottom of waterways. A mottled brown body allows them to camouflage easily along the water’s rocky bottom, hiding from larger fish who may prey on them. Another defensive adaptation are spiny fins to deter predators, like trout, from feeding on them. Spawning is when fish engage in breeding behavior. Female Paiute Sculpin spawn once a year from May to June, and can lay up to 200 eggs. After the male fertilizes the eggs, he hangs around, to guard the eggs until they hatch. Paiute Sculpin, like most fish, have a layer of mucus covering their body called the slime coat. This coat acts as a layer of defense against bacteria and disease.
Fun Facts
OTHER Species
