The grotto sculpin (Cottus specus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins.[2] It is found in the United States where it only inhabits the Bois Brule drainage (although not recorded from the main stream itself) in Perry County of southeastern Missouri.[3] It reaches a maximum standard length of 10.3 cm (4.1 in).[2] This cavefish lives in underground streams and their resurgences.[2] It was formerly confused with the more widespread C. carolinae, but can be separated by (among others) its smaller eyes and various degrees of reduced pigmentation.[2][3] It is one of only three known cases of troglomorphism in the sculpin family, the others also involving U.S. Cottus (C. bairdi—cognatus species complex in Pennsylvania, and C. carolinae in West Virginia).[3]
| Grotto sculpin | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cottidae |
| Genus: | Cottus |
| Species: | C. specus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cottus specus G. L. Adams & Burr, 2013
| |
References
edit- ^ "Grotto Sculpin (Cottus specus)". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cottus specus". FishBase. February 2014 version.
- ^ a b c Adams, G.L.; B.M. Burr; J.L. Day; D.E. Starkey (2013). "Cottus specus, a new troglomorphic species of sculpin (Cottidae) from southeastern Missouri". Zootaxa. 3609 (5): 484–494. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3609.5.4. PMID 24699612. S2CID 11491879.