Abyssocottidae

The deepwater sculpin ( Abyssocottidae ) (Size: ἄβυσσος Abyss = bottomless, Kottos = head) live in South Siberian Lake Baikal endemic in depths below 170 meters.

Features

The fish reach lengths 6-28 centimeters. They have two dorsal fins. The first, shorter dorsal fin is supported by three to ten spines, the second from 10 to 21 soft rays. The anal fin has 8 to 16 soft rays. The pelvic fins to find a fin spine and two to four soft rays. The Postcleithra ( a bone in the shoulder girdle ) is reduced or absent. Deepwater sculpins have 30 to 37 vertebrae.

System

Traditionally, the deepwater sculpin are considered as an independent family. Phylogenetically they are but, just like the Baikal oil fish ( Comephoridae ) deep within the family of sculpins ( Cottidae ) and even within the genus Cottus. The American ichthyologist Joseph S. Nelson, author of the standard work on fish systematics Fishes of the World. , The family has to continue, although he advocates to integrate them into the Cottidae.

Genera and species

• Genus Abyssocottus Abyssocottus elochini Taliev, 1955.
• Abyssocottus gibbosus Berg, 1906.
• Abyssocottus korotneffi Berg, 1906.

• Asprocottus abyssalis Taliev, 1955.
• Asprocottus herzensteini Berg, 1906.
• Asprocottus intermedius Taliev, 1955.
• Asprocottus korjakovi minor Sideleva, 2001.
• Asprocottus minor Sideleva, 2001.
• Asprocottus parmiferus Taliev, 1955.
• Asprocottus platycephalus Taliev, 1955.
• Asprocottus pulcher Taliev, 1955.

• Cotti Ella boulengeri (Berg, 1906).

• Cyphocottus eurystomus ( Taliev, 1955).
• Cyphocottus megalops ( Gratzianov, 1902).

• Limnocottus bergianus Taliev, 1935.
• Limnocottus godlewskii ( Dybowski, 1874).
• Limnocottus griseus ( Taliev, 1955).
• Limnocottus pallidus Taliev, 1948.

• Neocottus thermalis Sideleva, 2002.
• Neocottus werestschagini ( Taliev, 1935).

• Procottus gotoi Sideleva, 2001.
• Procottus gurwicii ( Taliev, 1946).
• Procottus jeittelesii ( Dybowski, 1874).
• Procottus major Taliev, 1949.