Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fisheries and for a world without hunger Aquaculture Department

Species Fact Sheets Cyclopterus lumpus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cyclopterus lumpus: (click for more) Cyclopterus lumpus: (click for more)

Synonyms Lumpus vulgaris McMurtrie, 1831, (Anim. King. Cuvier). Cyclopterus lumpus forma baltica Smitt, 1892: 294. Cyclopterus lumpus var. hudsonius Cox, 1920: 214.

FAO Names En - Lumpfish(=Lumpsucker), Fr - Lompe, Sp - Liebre de mar. 3Alpha Code: LUM Taxonomic Code: 1782000301

Diagnostic Features Body compressed, deep anteriorly. Head relatively small, less than 5 in standard length. Gill openings large, extending below level of upper pectoral finray. Disc 6-7 in standard length. First dorsal fin with 6-8 spines, completely covered by thick skin forming a characteristic hig crest; no spines visible; second dorsal fin with 9- 11 rays. Body depth varies from 2.0 times in standard length in large specimens (>200 mm SL) to 3.0 times in individuals less than 30 mm SL. Bony tubercles well developed on head and body. Usually there are 3 distinct rows of large tubercles laterally, with much smaller tubercles scattered between the rows. Colour variable, usually bluish-grey, yellow-green or yellow-brown. Spawning males are reddish on sides, fins and ventral surface.

Geographical Distribution

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Throughout the north of 45º N latitude (Portugal and southern Bay of Biscay) in appropriate habitats to Spitsbergen, including Iceland. Elsewhere, know from western Greenland, Hudson Bay, and the coasts of North America as far south as Maryland.

Habitat and Biology Benthic on rocky bottomsusually between 50 and 150 m, but occasionally to 400 m;may occur in floating seaweed; basically solitary rather than a schooling fish.Feeding more intensive in the winter; favoured are ctenophores, medusae, small crustaceans, polychaetes worms and small fishes. Move inshore to spawn, in summer in waters of about 8º C; may have up to about 300,000 eggs, 2.2-2.7 mm in diameter, in masses of 15,000-100,000; male guards eggs-mass aggressively.

Size Maximum males 50 cm, females 61 cm; weight to 9,5 kg, but ussually much smaller.

Interest to Fisheries Valued for their eggs, which make an inexpensive caviar. The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 9 822 t. The countries with the largest catches were Iceland (3 373 t) and Greenland (3 057 t).

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Global Capture Production for species (tonnes) Source: FAO FishStat 30k

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Cyclopterus lumpus

Local Names English : Krark-varrey , Lumpfish , Lumpsucker . Danish : Almindelig stenbider , Kulso , Kvabso , Stenbider . Dutch : Snotolf . Finnish : Rasvakala . French : Lompe . German : Seehase . Greenlandic : Angusalluk , Arnarluk , Nipisa . Icelandic : Hrognkelsi . Italian : Ciclottero . Japanese : Dango-uo . Norwegian : Lutefisk , Rognkall , Rognkjaeks . Polish : Tasza . Portuguese : Peixe-lapa . Spanish : Ciclóptero , Lumpo . Swedish : Kvabbso , Lutfisk , Sjurygg , Stenbit .

Bibliography Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2003. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org (WWW Work D. A. Gee). Stein, D. L. - 1986 Cyclopteridae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead et al., (eds.). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (FNAM). Unesco, Paris, vol. III: 1269-1274.

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