Five Bear Cockling

Head relatively small, more than five times in SL. No lobed fold of skin above the upper lip. First fin ray followed by a row of small, fleshy filaments. Dark brown dorsally, reddish to blackish grading to pale gray-brown ventrally (Ref. 1371). One barbel on the lower jaw and four on the snout (Ref. 35388).

Eggs and larvae are pelagic.

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Analspines: 0

A resident intertidal species with homing behavior (Ref. 32612). Generally close to the shore, not descending to great depths beyond the limits of the distribution of green algae (20 m), preferring rock bottoms but also living on sandy, muddy, and shell gravel bottoms. Feed mainly on crustaceans, sometimes also on algae, polychaetes, gastropods and occasionally, small fish. Occurs in temperatures ranging from 8 to 24°C (Ref. 4944).

fisheries: commercial