European bullhead

European bullhead
Bullhead
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Suborder: Cottoidei
Superfamily: Cottoidea
Family: Cottidae
Genus: Cottus
Species: C. gobio
Binomial name
Cottus gobio
Linnaeus, 1758

The bullhead[1][2][3] (Cottus gobio) is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the Cottidae family, a type of sculpin. It is also known as the miller's thumb, freshwater sculpin, common bullhead or European bullhead.[2][3]

The bullhead is a small demersal fish that lives both in cold, clear, fast-slowing small streams and in middle-sized rivers. It also occurs on gravelly shores of cold lakes. Further, it thrives in diluted brackish water of the Northern Baltic Sea.[2] Its food items include benthic insects and crustaceans.[2] On reproduction, it attaches its eggs in clumps on undersides of large stones.[2]

References

  1. ^ Cottus gobio IUCN Red List 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Cottus gobio" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
  3. ^ a b "Cottus gobio". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=167255. Retrieved 24 January 2006. 

External links