CreatureData

Lumpfish

Cyclopterus lumpus Linnaeus, 1758

Status not recordedbony fish

The lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) is a bony fish in the family Cyclopteridae and the subfamily Cyclopterinae. It belongs to the order Perciformes, suborder Cottoidei, within the class Teleostei of the phylum Chordata.

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Photo: Steven G. Johnson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Quick facts about the lumpfish

Its scientific name was given by Linnaeus, 1758, and other English names for it include Sea hen, Henfish, Hen-fish, Lumpsucker and Kiark-varrey.

Weight
up to 9.6 kgsrc for Weight
Length
30 cm – 40 cmsrc for Length
Lifespan
Not recorded
Main food
arthropodssrc for Main food
Habitat
marinesrc for Habitat
Young per litter or clutch
Not recorded
Reproduction
Eggssrc for Reproduction
Migration
Migratorysrc for Migration
Conservation status
Not recorded
Countries on record
Not recorded

How big is the lumpfish?

LUMPFISH · LENGTH 40 CMADULT HUMAN · HEIGHT 1.7 M
At 40 cm, the recorded maximum length of the lumpfish is about 24% of the height of an adult human (1.7 m, a fixed reference used for scale).

What does the lumpfish eat, and what eats it?

Species recorded in published studies and collections.

Recorded prey of the lumpfish

The 24 best supported of 36 on record

  1. Temora longicornis4 sources
  2. European plaice Pleuronectes platessa3 sources
  3. Locust amphipod Gammarus locusta2 sources
  4. Pink prawn Pandalus montagui2 sources
  5. Gammarellus homari2 sources
  6. Sea walnut Pleurobrachia pileus2 sources
  7. Beroe Beroe cucumis2 sources
  8. Calanus finmarchicus2 sources
  9. Planktonic amphipod Calliopius laeviusculus2 sources
  10. Sand shrimp Crangon crangon2 sources
  11. Big-eye amphipod Hyperia galba2 sources
  12. Baltic isopod Idotea balthica2 sources
Show 12 more
  1. Themisto compressa2 sources
  2. Acartia clausi2 sources
  3. Apherusa glacialis2 sources
  4. Calanus helgolandicus2 sources
  5. Centropages hamatus2 sources
  6. Centropages typicus2 sources
  7. Eucalanus elongatus2 sources
  8. Evadne nordmanni2 sources
  9. Gammarellus angulosus2 sources
  10. Gammaropsis maculata2 sources
  11. Gammarid shrimp Gammarus salinus2 sources
  12. Idotea emarginata2 sources

Recorded predators of the lumpfish

7 on record

  1. Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus4 sources
  2. Atlantic cod Gadus morhua4 sources
  3. Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus2 sources
  4. Thornback Amblyraja radiata2 sources
  5. Grey gurnard Eutrigla gurnardus2 sources
  6. Forkbeard Phycis blennoides2 sources
  7. Monkfish Squatina squatina2 sources

Each pair is recorded by at least two independent datasets. A record shows the animal was seen or found to have eaten the other, including scavenged carcasses and young animals; it does not say how often. Compiled by Global Biotic Interactions (CC0 1.0).

References for these records
  • Globi
  • Jacob et al. (2015)
  • Pinnegar, J.K. (2014). DAPSTOM - An Integrated Database & Portal for Fish Stomach Records. Version 4.7. Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK. February 2014, 39pp. Accessed at <https://www.cefas.co.uk/umbraco/CefasPlugins/DapstomSurface/Download?searchType=predator&s
  • FishBase
  • https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37085814
  • Bodini, A., Bellingeri, M., Allesina, S. and Bondavalli, C. 2009. Using food web dominator trees to catch secondary extinctions in action. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 364: 1725-1731.
  • Yano, K., Stevens, J. D., and Compagno, L. J. V. 2007. Distribution, reproduction and feeding of the Greenland shark Somniosus (Somniosus) microcephalus, with notes on two other sleeper sharks, Somniosus (Somniosus) pacificus and Somniosus (Somniosus) antarcticus. Journal of Fish Biology, 70: 374-39
  • McMeans, B. C., Svavarsson, J., Dennard, S., and Fisk, A. T. 2010. Diet and resource use among Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) and teleosts sampled in Icelandic waters, using _13C, _15N, and mercury. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 67: 1428-1438.
  • Pinnegar, J.K. (2014). DAPSTOM - An Integrated Database & Portal for Fish Stomach Records. Version 4.7. Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK. February 2014, 39pp. Accessed at <https://www.cefas.co.uk/umbraco/CefasPlugins/DapstomSurface/Download?searchType=predator&s
  • Pinnegar, J.K. (2014). DAPSTOM - An Integrated Database & Portal for Fish Stomach Records. Version 4.7. Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK. February 2014, 39pp. Accessed at <https://www.cefas.co.uk/umbraco/CefasPlugins/DapstomSurface/Download?searchType=predator&s
  • https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66722280
  • Pinnegar, J.K. (2014). DAPSTOM - An Integrated Database & Portal for Fish Stomach Records. Version 4.7. Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK. February 2014, 39pp. Accessed at <https://www.cefas.co.uk/umbraco/CefasPlugins/DapstomSurface/Download?searchType=predator&s

Photos of the lumpfish

Only freely licensed photos are shown. Each carries its creator and licence.

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Tiit Hunt · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Clumpus · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Kinori · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Clumpus · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
User:A,Ocram · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
Cephas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Where does the lumpfish live?

Not recorded

Where has it been introduced?

The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species lists the lumpfish as introduced in 2 countries.

  1. Croatia
  2. Cyprus

Introduced means brought by people and now present; invasive means the country's checklist records an impact. A species can be native to one part of a country and introduced in another. Source: Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (CC BY 4.0).

What is the lumpfish?

Quoted from WikipediaCC BY-SA 4.0

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. It is found in the North Atlantic and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean, ranging as far south as the Chesapeake Bay (rare south of New Jersey) on the North American coast and Spain (rare south of the English Channel) on the European coast. The species has been reported twice in the Mediterranean Sea, off Croatia in 2004 and Cyprus in 2017.

From the Wikipedia article “Cyclopterus” (en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cyclopterus&oldid=1384509081), by Wikipedia contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). This block is kept separate from our own text.

Is the lumpfish endangered?

No conservation assessment is recorded for this species in our sources. That is not the same as being safe: it has not been matched to an assessment.

How is the lumpfish classified?

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderPerciformes
  5. familyCyclopteridae
  6. genusCyclopterus
  7. SpeciesCyclopterus lumpus Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms Cyclopterus caeruleus, Cyclopterus coronatus, Cyclopterus lumpus hudsonius, Cyclopterus minutus, Cyclopterus pavoninus, Cyclopterus pyramidatus, Lumpus anglorum, Lumpus vulgaris

Other names and names in other languages (83)
  • Hen-fishEnglish
  • HenfishEnglish
  • Kiark-varreyEnglish
  • LumpsuckerEnglish
  • LumpsuckerEnglish
  • Sea henEnglish
  • أرنب البحرArabic
  • mël meanBreton
  • hranáč šedýCzech
  • iâr fôrWelsh
  • Ieir MôrWelsh
  • KulsoDanish
  • Almindelig stenbiderDanish
  • KvabsoDanish
  • stenbiderDanish
  • steurfiskDanish
  • SeehaseGerman
  • LumpoSpanish
  • CiclopteroSpanish
  • Liebre de marSpanish
  • MerivarblaneEstonian
  • vilukalaFinnish
  • rasvakalaFinnish
  • RognkelsiFaroese
  • GrárognkelsiFaroese
  • ReyðrognkelsiFaroese
  • LumpFrench
  • cycloptèreFrench
  • gros molletFrench
  • grosse poule de merFrench
  • lièvre de merFrench
  • lompeFrench
  • poule de merFrench
  • An léasán leiceIrish
  • cock-paidleScottish Gaelic
  • paddle-cockScottish Gaelic
  • NepisaInuktitut
  • AngusatdlukInuktitut
  • AngusedlokInuktitut
  • ArnardlokInuktitut
  • ArnardlukInuktitut
  • LepisukInuktitut
  • QorkshuyoqInuktitut
  • rauðmagiIcelandic
  • grásleppaIcelandic
  • hrognkelsiIcelandic
  • CiclotteroItalian
  • Dango-uoJapanese
  • ヨコヅナダンゴウオJapanese
  • NipisaKalaallisut
  • AngusallukKalaallisut
  • ArnarlukKalaallisut
  • ciegoriusLithuanian
  • Jūrų rupūžėLithuanian
  • zakzivsLatvian
  • Jūras zaķzivsLatvian
  • rognkjeksNorwegian Bokmål
  • steinbitNorwegian Bokmål
  • snotolfDutch
  • rognkjeksNorwegian Nynorsk
  • rognkylsaNorwegian Nynorsk
  • rognkallNorwegian
  • rognkjeksNorwegian
  • taszaPolish
  • Peixe-lapa-comumPortuguese
  • Peixe-lapaPortuguese
  • ПинагорRussian
  • круглоперRussian
  • воробеи морскойRussian
  • Рыба-воробейRussian
  • pinagorRussian
  • RunkarScots
  • BaggetyScots
  • Blue paidleScots
  • Hen paidleScots
  • runcuksuNorthern Sami
  • áhkabidduNorthern Sami
  • áhkacincuNorthern Sami
  • rundierpmisNorthern Sami
  • kvabbsoSwedish
  • sjuryggSwedish
  • stenbitSwedish
  • 圓鰭魚Chinese

Catalogue of LifeWikipediaiNaturalistITISTAXREFWikidataWoRMS

Relatives of the lumpfish

Other species in the same genus Cyclopterus.

CompareLumpfish vs Cyclopterus gelatinosusLumpfish vs Cyclopterus montacutiLumpfish vs Cyclopterus musculusLumpfish vs Cyclopterus pinnulatus

Common questions

Each answer is written from the sourced facts on this page, and only where they hold the answer.

What kind of animal is the lumpfish?

The lumpfish is a bony fish. It belongs to the family Cyclopteridae in the order Perciformes.

What is the scientific name of the lumpfish?

The scientific name of the lumpfish is Cyclopterus lumpus, placed in the genus Cyclopterus.

Who named the lumpfish and when?

The lumpfish was named by Linnaeus, 1758.

What are other names for the lumpfish?

Other English names for the lumpfish are Sea hen, Henfish, Hen-fish, Lumpsucker and Kiark-varrey.

What family does the lumpfish belong to?

The lumpfish belongs to the family Cyclopteridae, subfamily Cyclopterinae.

What class and order is the lumpfish in?

The lumpfish is in the class Teleostei and the order Perciformes, suborder Cottoidei.

Is the lumpfish an invasive species?

The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species lists the lumpfish as introduced in 2 countries: Croatia and Cyprus, but does not flag it as invasive in any of them.

What eats the lumpfish?

Animals recorded preying on the lumpfish include greenland shark, atlantic cod, atlantic halibut and thornback. The records are compiled by Global Biotic Interactions from published studies; each pair is reported by at least two datasets.

Which animals does the lumpfish eat?

Animals recorded as prey of the lumpfish include temora longicornis, european plaice, locust amphipod and pink prawn. The records are compiled by Global Biotic Interactions from published studies; each pair is reported by at least two datasets.

Sources and how to cite this page

Data as of 2026-11-14. How this page is put together.

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APA

CreatureData. (2026). Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/cyclopterus-lumpus

MLA

“Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus).” CreatureData, 2026, https://creaturedata.com/animals/cyclopterus-lumpus.

BibTeX
@misc{cyclopterus_lumpus_2026,
  title = {Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)},
  author = {{CreatureData}},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://creaturedata.com/animals/cyclopterus-lumpus},
  note = {Data as of 2026-11-14}
}