Hemitripterus americanus

Hemitripterus americanus, commonly known as the sea raven, is a species of fish belonging to the family Hemitripteridae, found along the Atlantic coast of North America.

Sea raven
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Scorpaeniformes
Family:	Hemitripteridae
Genus:	Hemitripterus
Species:	H. americanus
Binomial name
Hemitripterus americanus (Gmelin, 1789)
Synonyms
Cottus acadian Walbaum, 1792 Cottus hispidus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Cottus tripterygius Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Hemitripterus acadianus Storer, 1855 Hemitripterus americanus Cuvier, 1829 Scorpaena americana Gmelin, 1789 Scorpaena americana Lacepède, 1801 Scorpaena flava Mitchill, 1815 Scorpaena purpurea Mitchill, 1818 Scorpaena rufa Mitchill, 1818

Description

The sea raven is quite different in body structure from other common sculpins. Members of the species generally grow to be 18–20 in (46–51 cm) long, although the largest on record was 25 in (64 cm). The most distinctive feature of the sea raven is its fleshy tabs along the head, ridged outline of the first dorsal fin, and rugged skin. The species varies in color, as it can be dark red, reddish purple, yellowing brown, or dark brown on top, although its underbelly is always pale.

Distribution and habitat

Atlantic Coast of North America, southward to Chesapeake Bay; north to Anticosti in the northern side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to the Strait of Belle Isle on the Newfoundland side and to the Grand Banks.

References

Evermann. "Sea Raven." GMA. Gulf of Marine Research Institute. Web. 11 Mar. 2015. <http://www.gma.org/fogm/Hemitripterus_americanus.htm>