Clinocottus

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]

Clinocottus
Clinocottus embryum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Cottidae
Subfamily: Cottinae
Genus: Clinocottus
Gill, 1861
Type species
Oligocottus analis
Girard, 1858[1]
Synonyms[1]

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. 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. Clinocottus Gill, 1861 ITIS
  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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
  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. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2022). Species of Clinocottus in FishBase. August 2022 version.
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