(The wreck of Pollux - Sør-Trøndelag / 26 meters / 5.22.2002)

Phylum: Chordata

Superclass: Gnathostomata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Cyclopteridae

Scientific name: Cyclopterus lumpus

 

Norwegian: rognkjeks/rognkall

Distribution: Adult Lumpsuckers usually live on depths between 50 and 200 meters. In the spring they migrate towards the surface to spawn among algae in the subtidal zone. The male Lumpsucker is assigned the task of protecting the eggs. There is a significant commercial interest in these eggs as they are sold as false caviar. The Lumpsucker lives along the entire Norwegian coast.

Characteristics:  The Lumpsucker earned the name from its ability to cling to any smooth surface. It has a sucking disk formed by the two united ventral fins. The female often comes in a green coloration, while the male is usually brown with a tint of red. During spawning it can get a vivid orange or red color. The skin is scale less. It has several ventral rows of clearly visible spines.

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