New species of ugly, big-headed fish found in Idaho and Montana

Laura Zuckerman Reuters

USFS

Photos provide a top, side and bottom view of the male cedar sculpin, a newly described fish species found in mountain rivers.

SALMON, Idaho — A tiny fish characterized by a disproportionately large head and previously unknown to scientists has been found in mountain rivers of Idaho and Montana, in what biologists said on Thursday marked a rare discovery.
The new aquatic species is a type of freshwater sculpin, a class of fish that dwell at the bottom of cold, swift-flowing streams throughout North America and are known for their oversized head and shoulder structure.
"The discovery of a new fish is something I never thought would happen in my career, because it's very rare in the United States," said Michael Young, co-author of a scientific description of the find that has been published in the latest edition of the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. READ MORE