As the midsummer festival is by the corner, the REEF project presents one of the species of sea bulls, the four-horned sculpin, Myoxocephalus quadricornis.

The fourth horn sculpin is a species of benthic fish that occurs both in the sea and in freshwater. It is a cold water-loving species and its natural range of distribution is mainly in the northern hemisphere, in the coastal waters of North America, Greenland and Eurasia. The Baltic Sea has historically been preserved as a glacial retyl species. Perhaps exactly this has been one of the first species of marine fish entering the Baltic Sea basin about 10 thousand years ago. Nowadays species occur in the eastern and northern part of the Baltic Sea. Often caught also in the Gulf of Riga. It makes seasonal migrations – in spring, when the water is heated, fish moves to depths while migrating back to the coast in the autumn. The species is probably affected by an increase of water temperature. In fresh waters of Latvia species is not yet been identified safely. Four-horned bull fish feeds on crustaceans, worms and other fish eggs and toddlers.

The four-horned bull fish is characterised by a large wide head with expressive lips and four horns at the top of his head, one pair of horns behind his eyes, the other on the back of his head. The front horns are relatively larger than the rear. On the side-lines of the bull fish body there are lots of tiny barbed bone panels. The fish is grey-brown with a pale, slightly yellowish breeze. Dark spots have formed on the fins. Males are characterised by larger fins. They can reach 12 years of age and a mass of 0,95 kg. Females can reach 35 cm and males 23 cm long body. Due to the peculiar shape of the body, there are few natural enemies in the Baltic Sea, which can be consumed by large-size cod or seals.

For a large part of the human population, four-horned bull fish is an unknown species of sea, because it does not have a significant economic role on the coast of Latvia.

By presenting all the horned animals flower crown of the midsummer festival, the REEF team wishes cooling holidays!