A sculpin is a type of fish that belongs to the superfamily Cottoidea in the order Perciformes.Kane, E. A. and T. E. Higham. (2012). Life in the flow lane: differences in pectoral fin morphology suggest transitions in station-holding demand across species of marine sculpin. Zoology (Jena) 115(4), 223–32. As of 2025, this superfamily contains 5 families, 112 genera, and 405 species.
Sculpins occur in many types of habitat, including ocean and freshwater zones. They live in rivers, submarine canyons, kelp forests, and shallow littoral habitat types, such as tidepools.
Families and subfamilies Families include:
Family Rhamphocottidae Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 (horsehead sculpins) Family Cottidae Bonaparte, 1831 (sculpins) Family Psychrolutidae Günther, 1861 (marine sculpins) Family Jordaniidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (longfin sculpins)
Family Nautichthyidae Taranetz, 1941 (sailfin sculpins) Family Hemilepidotidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (Irish lords) Family Hemitripteridae Gill, 1865 (sea ravens) Family Agonidae Swainson, 1839 (Poachers and sea ravens) Subfamily Hypsagoninae Gill, 1861 (dragon poachers) Subfamily Agoninae Swainson, 1839 (hooknose poachers) Subfamily Anoplagoninae Gill, 1861 (alligator fishes) Subfamily Podothecinae Gill, 1861 (sturgeon poachers) Subfamily Brachyopsinae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (uppermouth poachers) Subfamily Agonopsinae Vandenberg et al. 2026 (spearnose poachers)
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