Clinocottus

<i>Clinocottus</i>

Clinocottus

Genus of fishes

Clinocottus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. They are nearshore benthic fishes native to the northeastern Pacific Ocean. They are mentioned as sharpnose sculpins.[2]

Quick Facts Clinocottus, Scientific classification ...

Taxonomy

Clinocottus was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1861 by the American zoologist Theodore Gill with Oligocottus analis, which had been described in 1858 by Charles Frédéric Girard from Monterey, California, as its only species.[1][3] Molecular data indicate that this genus is polyphyletic or paraphyletic, it does not constitute a natural assemblage within Cottidae.[4] Workers have found that the lavender sculpin (Leiocottus hirundo) is the sister taxon to C. analis, a species which is not closely related to C. acuticeps. In turn, C. acuticeps is determined to be basal to Artedius,[5] or to the clade referred to as Oligocottinae.[6] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Clinocottus within the subfamily Cottinae of the family Cottidae,[7] however, other authors classify the genus within the subfamily Oligocottinae of the family Psychrolutidae.[1]

Etymology

Clinocottus combines Clinus a genus of blennies with Cottus, probably because Girard though the rounded head of the mosshead sculpin was reminiscent of the ehad shape of some gobies and blennies.[8]

Species

There are currently five recognized species in this genus:[9]

Characteristics

Clinocottus sculpins are characterised by having the anus in a forward position between the anal fin and the pelvic fins, they have a heavy and blunt penis and in both sexes the anal fin is unmodified. C. analis and C. acuticeps have pointed heads, which is regarded as a basal feature and the remaining 3 species have sizeable, rounded heads. This is suggestive of the paraphyly of the group.[6] These are small sculpins, the largest species is the mosshead sculpin with a maximum published total length of 19 cm (7.5 in) and the smallest is the calico sculpin with a maximum published total length of 7 cm (2.8 in).[9]

Distribution

Clinocottus sculpins are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean where they are found in the intertidal zone.[9][5]

References

  1. [1]
    Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Oligocottinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  2. [2]
    Clinocottus Gill, 1861 ITIS
  3. [3]
    Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Clinocottus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  4. [4]
    Thaddaeus J. Buser; J. Andrés López (2015). "Molecular phylogenetics of sculpins of the subfamily Oligocottinae (Cottidae)]". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 86: 64–74. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.03.006. PMID 25791911.
  5. [5]
    Marina L. Ramon; Matthew L. Knope (2008). "Molecular support for marine sculpin (Cottidae; Oligocottinae) diversification during the transition from the subtidal to intertidal habitat in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 46 (2): 475–483. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.11.005. PMID 18248743.
  6. [6]
    Matthew L. Knope (2013). "Phylogenetics of the marine sculpins (Teleostei: Cottidae) of the North American Pacific Coast". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (1): 341–349. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.10.008. PMID 23099148.
  7. [7]
    J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 467–495. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  8. [8]
    Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (22 October 2022). "Order Perciformes: Suborder Cottoidea: Infraorder Cottales: Family Cottidae (Sculpins)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  9. [9]
    Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2022). Species of Clinocottus in FishBase. August 2022 version.
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