Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Cottoidei (Sculpins) >
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Etymology: Cottus: Greek, kottos = a fish (Ref. 45335); perifretum: Derived from the Latin fretum (strait [Fretum Gallicum: the English Channel) and the prefix peri- (around), as the species occurs in streams on both sides of the English Channel.
More on authors: Freyhof, Kottelat & Nolte.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Temperate
Europe: Great Britain; Atlantic drainages from Garonne (tributaries draining from Massif Central) to Scheldt in France and Belgium. Also in rivers Mosel and Sieg in Germany. Might also be present in other major Rhine tributaries, the French stretch of the upper Rhine and the lower Meuse. Invasive in Rhine drainage in Germany and the Netherlands, reaching upriver (southwar) to Karlsruhe. This invasive population in the Rhine is an intermediate between Cottus perifretum Cottus rhenanus and forms a distinct genetic group across its whole expansion range.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 88166); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 59043)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Anal soft rays: 11 - 13. Differs from other species of Cottus in the North Sea and Atlantic basins by the combination of the following characters: no distinct transverse bands on pelvic fin; prickling on body extending backwards to caudal peduncle in juveniles and most adults; sometimes absent in large males; first dorsal fin marbled or black in nuptial males; eye diameter 18-21% HL; interorbital distance 0.7-1.9 times in eye diameter; last anal-fin ray connected to body by a membrane along 0.1-0.90 of its length (Ref. 55856).
Occurs in all kinds of streams and rivers including large main rivers, all kinds of shores with coarse gravel or large stones in flowing and stagnant water of rivers, harbors and backwaters (Ref. 55856). Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates (Ref. 59043).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Freyhof, J., M. Kottelat and A. Nolte, 2005. Taxonomic diversity of European Cottus with description of eight new species (Teleostei: Cottidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 16(2):107-172. (Ref. 55856)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00955 (0.00568 - 0.01605), b=3.17 (3.02 - 3.32), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).