Ecology Summary - Myoxocephalus quadricornis

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Main Ref.	Morrow, J.E., 1980
Remarks	Occurs in cold brackish and moderately saline water near the coast (Ref. 27547); enters coastal rivers and may occur as far as 120 miles inland (Ref. 5723). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Movements are limited to short onshore-offshore seasonal movements and mass movements of fry into shallow water in autumn (Ref. 28908, 28910). Moreover, there are no migrations of large numbers; movement into freshwater and long distances up rivers are apparently undertaken by relatively few individuals at a time (Ref. 27547). Diurnal from November to April but is largely nocturnal the rest of the year (Ref. 28905). Feeds on small crustaceans, fishes (Ref. 4697, 4968, 27547) and molluscs (Ref. 58426). Move to deeper water in the spring, where they stay in summer (Ref. 35388). Subject to intense predation in shallow water by gulls, waterfowl and shorebirds. Also eaten by whitefish, Arctic Char, eelpouts and other Cottidae including other members of its own species (Ref. 58522).

Main Ref.

Morrow, J.E., 1980

Remarks

Occurs in cold brackish and moderately saline water near the coast (Ref. 27547); enters coastal rivers and may occur as far as 120 miles inland (Ref. 5723). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Movements are limited to short onshore-offshore seasonal movements and mass movements of fry into shallow water in autumn (Ref. 28908, 28910). Moreover, there are no migrations of large numbers; movement into freshwater and long distances up rivers are apparently undertaken by relatively few individuals at a time (Ref. 27547). Diurnal from November to April but is largely nocturnal the rest of the year (Ref. 28905). Feeds on small crustaceans, fishes (Ref. 4697, 4968, 27547) and molluscs (Ref. 58426). Move to deeper water in the spring, where they stay in summer (Ref. 35388). Subject to intense predation in shallow water by gulls, waterfowl and shorebirds. Also eaten by whitefish, Arctic Char, eelpouts and other Cottidae including other members of its own species (Ref. 58522).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Myoxocephalus quadricornis may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott, 1988
Associations	schooling;
Associated with
Association remarks	Parasites of the species include 1 monogenean, Gyrodactylus nainum; 1 trematode, Podocotyle atoman; 2 cestodes, Bothrimonus sturionis and Bothriocephalus scorpii; and 1 acanthocephalan, Echinorhynchus gadi (Ref. 5951). Territorial nest-builders with only the males defending the eggs until the pelagic larvae hatch (Ref. 27547, 94973); an ambush predator; relatively poor swimming ability make it susceptible to predation (Ref. 94973). Barring short onshore-offshore seasonal movements and mass movements of fry into shallow water in summer, there are no migrations of large numbers of fish (Ref. 27547, p. 208).
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Morrow, J.E., 1980
Feeding habit	variable
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	Original sample		Unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	3.85	0.62			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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