Description: These stout fish are very distinctive, with a rugby ball shape and lots of lumps, bumps and tubercles. Their fins are large, with thick prominent rays. Their pelvic fins are modified to form a very strong sucker which these fish can use to cling tightly to rocks or wreckage, although the sucker itself often isn’t visible. In adults the foremost dorsal fin is very low and almost covered in flesh, forming a thick crest. In juveniles it is a prominent flesh-covered crest. They can vary quite a bit in colour, but usually they are a grey to blue-green with the adult males becoming more red-orange during breeding season, sometimes becoming completely red or orange. Juveniles are usually green or blue but can occasionally be orange.

Habitat: Rocky reefs and kelp forests, usually from 5 m to 150 m, but have been (rarely) recorded from depths of up to 800 m. Sometimes found washed up on strandline.

Distribution: Recorded all around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Highly unlikely to be confused with any other species. Juveniles could potentially be confused with clingfish or sea snails (Liparis spp.).

Key Identification Features:

• Rugby ball shaped fish covered in lumps and bumps.
• Strong sucker to attach to rocks.
• Blue-green or grey in colour, males can be orange-red in breeding season.
• Large fins with thick, prominent rays.
• Thick dorsal crest in adults.

Distribution Map from NBN: Cyclopterus lumpus at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Cyclopterus lumpus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Cyclopterus lumpus

WoRMS: Cyclopterus lumpus at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Cyclopterus lumpus Linnaeus, 1758. AphiaID: 127214.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Osteichthyes; Actinopterygii; Actinopteri; Teleostei; Perciformes; Cottoidei; Cyclopteridae; Cyclopterus