[scorpene, scorpion]

An interesting possibility, tsuwm. One of the sculpin's frequent appellations is scorpion fish, sometimes used interchangeably, and sometimes used primarily in certain regions. Young children pronounce the "r" in scorpion as an "l", so the leap from scorpiopn or scorpene to scolpion and scolpene, then sculpin, is not so much of a stretch.