Cyclopterus

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Monotypic genus of fish

title: "Cyclopterus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["monotypic-marine-fish-genera", "fish-described-in-1758", "commercial-fish", "cyclopteridae", "fish-of-the-atlantic-ocean", "fish-of-the-baltic-sea", "fish-of-the-north-sea", "animal-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeus"] description: "Monotypic genus of fish" topic_path: "general/monotypic-marine-fish-genera" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclopterus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Monotypic genus of fish ::

| image = Cyclopterus lumpus female.jpg | image_caption = | image2 = | image2_caption = | status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | status2 = G5 | status2_system = TNC | status2_ref = | parent_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | taxon = Cyclopterus lumpus | authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | synonyms = Genus | Lumpus | Oken, 1817 Species{{Species list | Cyclopterus minutus | Pallas, 1769 | Cyclopterus pavoninus | Shaw, 1797 | Cyclopterus pyramidatus | Shaw, 1804 | Cyclopterus caeruleus | Mitchill, 1815 | Lumpus vulgaris | McMurtrie, 1831 | Cyclopterus coronatus | Couch, 1838 | Lumpus anglorum | DeKay, 1842 | Cyclopterus lumpus hudsonius | Cox, 1920 | synonyms_ref =

Cyclopterus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cyclopteridae, the lumpsuckers or lumpfish. Its only species is Cyclopterus lumpus, the lumpsucker or lumpfish. The species has been reported twice in the Mediterranean Sea, off Croatia in 2004 and Cyprus in 2017.

Taxonomy

Cyclopterus and C. lumpus were both first formally described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of the Systema Naturae with the North and Baltic Seas given as its type localities. C. lumpus was the only species described by Linnaeus in the genus and is described in Catalog of Fishes as the "type by Linnaean tautonomy". however, other authorities place this taxon in the monotypic subfamily Cyclopterinae.

Etymology

Cyclopterus is a compound of cyclos, meaning 'ring', with pteros, which means 'fin'. This is a reference to the pelvic fins being modified into a suction disc. The specific name lumpus is derived from the Anglo-Saxon lump and the fish was called Lumpus anglorum by Gessner in 1558. This seems to refer to the dorsal fin being embedded in the thick and tubercular skin on the back, creating the impression of a hump.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Lumpfish-Cyclopterus_lumpus.jpg" caption="At the [[Monterey Bay Aquarium"] ::

Cyclopterus is sexually dimorphic with females reaching larger sizes than the males. Males typically reach 30 - in length while females can typically grow up to 50 cm in length and 5 kg in weight. The largest specimen recorded measured 61 cm in length, In the brackish water of the Baltic Sea, it usually does not surpass 20 cm. Mature males turn orange-reddish during the breeding season.

| image1 = Cyclopterus male copy.jpg | image2 = Cyclopterus lumpus female.jpg | caption1 = Male in breeding colours | caption2 = Female | image3 = Cyclopterus lumpus juv.jpg | caption3 = Juvenile | total_width = 650 | align = center

Biology

During the summer, Cyclopterus inhabit water at a temperature of -1 to. Juveniles are most common at temperatures of 6 to while adults are more common in 4 to. Cyclopterus become much less common at temperatures 12 °C.

Cyclopterus spend the first few months following hatching in tidal pools, or in association with floating seaweed clumps. As they grow they migrate out into open water far from land where they live in the pelagic zone feeding upon gelatinous zooplankton, fish eggs and small crustaceans. When they reach maturity they will migrate to coastal areas in spring to breed. During the breeding season, males change colour, taking on a reddish/orange colouration. The population spawns over many months with spawning fish being caught in Iceland from March until August. Females which have spawned during the previous year tend to return to the same area when spawning again. They will also return at a similar time of year i.e. individuals which spawned early and late in the season will return to spawn early and late in the season the following year. A single female will lay 50,000–220,000 eggs which are laid in two batches of roughly equal size 1–2 weeks apart. The eggs are between 2.2 and 2.5 mm in diameter and the ovary can account for up to one third of the weight of the female fish before spawning. [[File:20150410-DSC 9838.jpg|thumb|left|Female lumpfish close to spawning. The large orange ovary can be seen.]] The female will lay the eggs in a nest area pre-selected by the male, which will usually consist of a rocky outcrop or boulders on the seabed. The nest is in relatively shallow water (

Several aspects of their biology (i.e. lack of a swimbladder, its pelvic suction disc) led some to believe that they were a bottom dwelling species.{{Cite book | title = The fishes of the British Isles and north-west Europe | last = Wheeler | first = A. | author-link = Alwyne Cooper Wheeler | publisher = Macmillan | year = 1969 | isbn = 978-0-333-05955-5 | location = London | last1 = Eriksen| first1 = Elena| last2 = Durif| first2 = Caroline M. F.| last3 = Prozorkevich| first3 = Dmitry| date = 2014-11-01 | title = Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) in the Barents Sea: development of biomass and abundance indices, and spatial distribution | journal = ICES Journal of Marine Science| language = en| volume = 71| issue = 9| pages = 2398–2402| doi = 10.1093/icesjms/fsu059 | issn = 1054-3139| doi-access = free}} however, capture in bottom trawls is also common.{{Cite journal | last1 = Casey| first1 = Jill M| last2 = Myers| first2 = Ransom A| date = 1998-10-01| title = Diel variation in trawl catchability: is it as clear as day and night?| journal = Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences| volume = 55| issue = 10| pages = 2329–2340| doi = 10.1139/f98-120| bibcode = 1998CJFAS..55.2329C| issn = 0706-652X}} An investigation using electronic data-storage tags attached to the fish have confirmed that, at least during its breeding migration, this fish will spend time associated with the sea bed, and also some time in the pelagic zone. As the fish came close to breeding, they began to spend a greater amount of time in the pelagic zone. With the lack of a swim bladder, the fish were able to make rapid movements through the water column, moving between surface waters and depths of over 300 m within one day. Data from research surveys and data-storage tags show that adult lumpfish alter their behaviour between night and day with the fish spending more time in the pelagic zone at night and found associated with the seabed during the day, the reasons for this are unclear. The current understanding is that after the juveniles leave coastal areas, they adopt a pelagic lifestyle, inhabiting the upper 50–60 m of the water column. It is only when they begin their return migration to the coastal areas for spawning that they begin to spend time close to the seafloor.

Juvenile lumpfish exhibit biofluorescence, that is, when they are illuminated, light absorbed by the organism is remitted in lower energy wavelengths. The light reemitted by lumpfish appears green to the human observer and peaks at 545 and 613 nm. The greatest intensity is along the tubercles of the high crest and the three longitudinal ridges. The purpose of this biofluorescence remains unclear and it is also not known if this is also exhibited by adult lumpfish.

Fishery

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Landings_of_lumpfish_roe.png" caption="Total worldwide landings of lumpfish roe."] ::

Cyclopterus is fished for its roe, landings of lumpfish roe varied from approximately 2000-8000 MT from 1977 to 2018. In recent years, Iceland and Greenland have been the two largest fishing nations in regards to lumpfish and account for 95% of the global catch. Historically, Norway and Canada also contributed significant amounts but due to a decrease in the price of salted roe, and a severe population decline in Canada, the contribution from these countries has decreased. Denmark and Sweden have also contributed but the amount has been low in comparison with the other countries. Female fish are the main target for the fishery which utilizes the roe to make lumpfish caviar. Lumpfish are targeted close to the shore, where they come to spawn, using small fishing boats (generally less than 15 m) with large mesh gillnets. Due to the smaller size of the male, very few are caught in the large meshes. Traditionally, the roe would be removed at sea and the bodies disposed of. In Iceland, it is now mandatory for the bodies to be landed; these are now frozen and exported, mainly to China.

In Iceland, there is also the tradition of catching the male fish, mainly for the local market. This is done using gillnets with a smaller mesh size than that used for the females. The males are targeted in January–February, which is earlier than the females which are targeted from March until August.

Population status

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Ice_and_Norway_biomass.png" caption="Biomass index of lumpfish around Iceland and in the Barents Sea (Norway) during 1985-2018. Data from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (Iceland) and Institute of Marine Research (Norway)."] ::

For Cyclopterus populations in both Iceland and Norway, the population is monitored using data from scientific surveys and is currently above the long term average and considered to be healthy. In Greenland, no survey data is available and data on fishing effort and landings are monitored. The time series is short for this population however appears to be stable. The population in Canada appears to be depleted and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has classified this as threatened. There is a lack of data to reliably assess the abundance of lumpfish in the North Sea or Baltic Sea thus the population status of this area is unknown. The fishery in Greenland and Norway was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2015 and 2017 respectively with these certifications being valid for 5 years. The fishery in Iceland was certified in 2014 but this was suspended in 2018 due to issues surrounding bycatch but regained certification in 2020.

Uses

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Kaviar_des_Seehase.jpg" caption="The [[caviar]] of the lumpfish"] ::

Cyclopterus roe, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, is used to produce relatively inexpensive caviar substitutes. The roe is removed from the fish and processed to remove connective tissue. The roe is stored in large barrels where it is salted. The roe is dyed either red or black and packed with a mould inhibitor such as sodium benzoate (E211). In Scandinavia the flesh of the fish is eaten. In Iceland, the males are often salted and smoked, or simply boiled. The female lumpfish is rarely eaten fresh but when it is caught during the spawning season, the guts and head removed, scored deeply with a knife and hung in a cool place until the flesh turns yellow. The fish is then poached before serving, as a dish called sigin grásleppa in Icelandic.

They are used as "cleaner fish" to reduce the parasite burden on salmon farms in Scotland, Iceland and Norway.

References

References

  1. Lorance, P.. (2015). "Cyclopterus lumpus (Europe assessment)".
  2. "''Cyclopterus lumpus'' Lumpfish". The Nature Conservancy.
  3. {{FishBase. Cyclopterus. lumpus. (2023)
  4. {{Cof family
  5. (2015). "Fish atlas of the Celtic Sea, North Sea, and Baltic Sea: Based on international research-vessel surveys". Wageningen Academic Publishers.
  6. (2021). "Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (''Cyclopterus lumpus'')". CIESM Publishers.
  7. {{Cof genus
  8. fotw5
  9. (25 August 2022). "Order Perciformes (part 21): Suborder Cottoidei: Infraorder Cottales: Families Psychrolutidae and Cyclopteridae". Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara.
  10. Muus, B.. (1999). "Sea Fish". Scandinavian Fishing Year Book.
  11. Kells, V.. (2011). "A Field Guide to the Coastal Fishes from Maine to Texas". Johns Hopkins University Press.
  12. Mocheck, A. D.. (1973). "Spawning behaviour of the lumpsucker ''Cyclopterus lumpus'' L.". Journal of Ichthyology.
  13. Ingólfsson, Agnar. (2000-12-01). "Colonization of floating seaweed by pelagic and subtidal benthic animals in southwestern Iceland". Hydrobiologia.
  14. Holst, Jens Christian. (1993-08-01). "Observations on the distribution of lumpsucker (''Cyclopterus lumpus'', L.) in the Norwegian Sea". Fisheries Research.
  15. Davenport, J.. (1985). "Synopsis of biological data on the lumpsucker ''Cyclopterus lumpus'' (Linnaeus, 1758)". FAO Fisheries Synopsis.
  16. Kennedy, J.. (2018-01-31). "Oocyte size distribution reveals ovary development strategy, number and relative size of egg batches in lumpfish ( Cyclopterus lumpus)". Polar Biology.
  17. (2019-07-09). "Conservation of spawning time between years in lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus and potential impacts from the temporal distribution of fishing effort". Fisheries Management and Ecology.
  18. Myrseth, Bjørn. (1971). "Fekunditet, vekst, levevis og ernæring hos Cyclopterus lumpus L.". University of Bergen.
  19. (2017-12-01). "Life history trait variation of Greenland lumpfish (''Cyclopterus lumpus'') along a 1600 km latitudinal gradient". Polar Biology.
  20. (1988-11-01). "Reproductive success of the male lumpfish (''Cyclopterus lumpus'' L.) (Pisces: Cyclopteridae): evidence against female mate choice". Canadian Journal of Zoology.
  21. Wienerroither, R.. (2011). "Atlas of the Barents Sea fishes".
  22. (2015-12-23). "Observations of vertical movements and depth distribution of migrating female lumpfish (''Cyclopterus lumpus'') in Iceland from data storage tags and trawl surveys". ICES Journal of Marine Science.
  23. (2022-07-23). "First record of biofluorescence in lumpfish ( Cyclopterus lumpus ), a commercially farmed cleaner fish". Journal of Fish Biology.
  24. (2019). "A brief history of lumpfishing, assessment, and management across the North Atlantic". ICES Journal of Marine Science.
  25. Johannesson, J.. (2006). "Lumpfish cavier - from vessel to consumer".
  26. (2011). "Assessment of Lumpfish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (3Pn, 4RST) in 2010".
  27. Marine Stewardship Council. (2014). "Icelandic Gillnet Lumpfish Fishery". Public Certification Report.
  28. (2006). "Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering". CRC Press.
  29. (2017-06-08). "Cleaner fish – what do they do? - Loch Duart Salmon". Loch Duart Salmon.

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