Bear Lake Sculpin
Photo Courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Cottus extensus
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G3
State (S-rank): S1
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
Species range
Endemic to Bear Lake, this species occurs in Utah only in Rich County
Migration
The Bear Lake sculpin displays a suprising amount of migratory habits given that sculpin species are typically sedentary benthic species. Young sculpin will make daily migrations up into the water collumn to find warmer water to facilitate faster digestion and growth. Adults spawn in shallow waters near shore, after the spawn they will migrate back to deep water habitats where they spend much of the rest of the year.
Habitat
The Bear Lake Sculpin live in the deepwater benthic zones of Bear Lake where substrate can range from sand, rock, and silt. The eastern shores shallow cobbles are an immportant habitat that facilitates spawning. High water levels are important to keep this habitat submerged and available to the Bear Lake Sculpin.
Food habits
Their Diet is made up of zooplankton and benthic invertebrates.
Reproductive characteristics
The Bear Lake sculpin spawns from April to July, when adults attach egg masses to the undersides of rocks in shallow, cobble-filled areas, particularly along the eastern shore of Bear Lake at Cisco Beach. The waves and currents from spring storms then help to disperse the young throughout the lake.
Threats or limiting factors
Although specific threats to this species are not documented, there appear to be several potential threats. Bear Lake is heavily utilized for recreational purposes, with considerable and increasing development along its shores. Introduced piscivorous sport fishes feed heavily on the endemic sculpin, but predation does not seem to have adversely affected population levels.
Taxonomy
This species was included with other sculpins under the name Cottus semiscaber (e.g., as in Tanner 1936) until it was recognized as a distinct species (McConnell et al. 1957, Bailey and Bond 1963). Recent westwide sculpin genetics studies (Young et al. 2022) have added to the knowledge base but sculpin taxonomy remains complicated in the western United States including Utah.