Family COTTIDAE

Cottidae

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Introduction

Members of the Cottidae are found primarily in the temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Approximately 275 species occur in the north Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and only two of the approximately 70 genera are found south of the equator (Nelson 2006). Nelson (1975, 1990) redescribed the two Australian species, both in Antipodocottus. The family has not been revised recently.

Sculpins are benthic and live in freshwater and marine habitats from shallow to deep water. Typically they are adorned with head spines, have thoracic pelvic fins with a reduced number of rays and distinct scales. Most species are less than 20 cm long, although one non-Australian species reaches 78 cm.

General References

Nelson, J.S. 1975. Records of a new form of the marine cottid fish Antipodocottus galatheae from the east coast of New Zealand. Records of the National Museum of New Zealand 1(4): 80-86 figs 1-2

Nelson, J.S. 1990. Redescription of Antipodocottus elegans (Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae) from Australia, with comments on the genus. Copeia 1990(3): 840-846

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Nelson, J.S. & Carpenter, K.E. 1999. Family Cottidae. pp. 2425-2426 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2425]

Paxton, J.R., Gates, J.E. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Cottidae. pp. 951-952 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [951]

Common Name References

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [477] (also FAO in Nelson & Carpenter 1999) (Sculpins)

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