Meet our September Fish of the Month, the Sea Raven (Hemitripterus americanus)!
Survey Regions: The Sea Raven is found in the cold to temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland as far south as the Chesapeake, part of REEF's Northeast US and Canada (NE) survey region. Click here to view the species distribution report in the REEF database.
Size: Can grow up to 2 feet.
Identifying Features: Sea Ravens have prickly skin and a tall first dorsal fin. Their bodies can be uniformly colored or mottled in shades of brown, red, or yellow. They have a large head with humps, ridges, and fleshy tabs.
Fun Facts: The Sea Raven is a member of the Sculpin family. They eat a variety of bottom-dwelling creatures like molluscs, crustaceans and fish and have several rows of very sharp teeth. If you like this fish, you can choose to be on the Sea Raven Team when you sign up for REEF's Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K! Click here to learn more.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the October issue of e-News to see our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Amy Maurer.