Silverspotted Sculpin

Blepsias cirrhosus has a deep, compressed body which is covered in papillae which enclose a small spine that is embedded in a bony plate in the skin. There are cirrhi on the chin. The first dorsal fin is notched and the second dorsal fin and the anal fin are large and are located opposite each other. There are between 6 and 9 spines in the dorsal fin and 20 to 25 soft rays while the anal fin has 18 to 21 soft rays. The pectoral fin contains between 11 and 13 rays and the small pelvic fin has 3 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded. The color is brownish to greenish on the upper body with dark blotches on the back, this changes to reddish or yellowish ventrally. There are white spots on the flanks near the pectoral fin. The fins are brown or black with sizeable clear patches. The maximum published standard length is 20 cm (7.9 in).

Blepsias cirrhosus is found in the North Pacific Ocean which has a range which extends from the Sea of Japan north to the Bering Sea and south along the western coast of North America as far as San Simeon in central California. It is a demersal fish found at depths of 0 to 150 m (0 to 492 ft) in intertidal, and more commonly subtidal areas, typically no deeper than 37 m (121 ft). They are frequently found among algae.