Northern Sculpin

Icelinus borealis has a very small antler-like uppermost spine on the preoperculum. There are 9 or 10 spines and between 15 and 17 soft rays supporting the dorsal fins, while the anal fin has between 12 and 14 soft rays. The caudal fin is clearly rounded and the pelvic fins are small and often curved. The overall color is dark olive gray or brown on the upper body, paler below. There are dark saddle marks, typically four, across the body and thin dark brown bars on the head and the fins except for the anal fin. In males the margin of the has black spots. This species has a maximum published standard length of 10.2 cm (4.0 in).

Icelinus borealis is found in the temperate eastern Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea coast of Alaska south as far as Puget Sound, in Washington. It is a demersal fish found at depths between 9 and 310 m (30 and 1,017 ft) on soft or shell substrates.