Psychrolutidae | |
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Psychrolutes phrictus removed from the water, its body swollen by the low pressure | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
Superfamily: | Cottoidea |
Family: | Psychrolutidae T. N. Gill, 1861 |
Genera [1] | |
see text |
The fish family Psychrolutidae (commonly known as blobfishes, [2] toadfishes, [2] flathead sculpins, [2] or tadpole sculpins [2] ) contains over 35 recognized species in 8 genera. [3] This family consists of bottom-dwelling marine sculpins shaped like tadpoles, with large heads and bodies that taper back into small, flat tails. The skin is loosely attached and movable, and the layer underneath it is gelatinous. The eyes are placed high on the head, focused forward closer to the tip of the snout. Members of the family generally have large, leaf-like pectoral fins and lack scales, although some species are covered with soft spines. This is important to the species as the depths in which they live are highly pressurized and they are ambush/opportunistic/foraging predators that do not expend energy unless they are forced to.
The blobfish has a short, broad tongue and conical teeth that are slightly recurved and are arranged in bands in irregular rows along the premaxillaries; canines are completely absent. Teeth are nonexistent on the palatines and vomer; which make up the hard palate. The blobfish also has a set of specialized pharyngeal teeth that are well developed and paired evenly along the upper and lower portions of the pharyngeal arch. These specialized teeth may aid in the breakdown of food due to the very strategic dependency on whatever food falls from above. [4] They are found in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Psychrolutes phrictus have been reported near the Mexican Pacific coast, which extends the southern range by 1,733 km. [5] According to a 2013 poll from the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, the blobfish was voted the ugliest animal in the world and was also given the nickname, 'fathead sculpin'.
Myoxocephalus thompsonii, deepwater sculpin, have even been reported in Lake Ontario which were once thought to be extirpated. [6] Psychrolutidae species tend to habituate the northern most region of the Pacific ocean due to lower temperatures, and Indian Oceans. They are found in depths ranging from 300–1,700 meters. The adults live on the sea floor, between 100 and 2,800 m (330 and 9,190 ft) deep, [7] [8] The intense biological pressure to conserve energy within deep sea fish seems to be true across many species; most of them are long lived, have a slow rate of reproduction, growth, and aging. Furthermore, studies have shown that the Psychrolutidae species displays a wide range of reproductive patterns, which include group synchronous maturation and extended batch spawning, which highlights their adjustment to deep sea habitats. In this case the blobfish can live to be roughly 130 years old. Categorized as the predator of the deep sea they have no real predatory issues; a big help to aid in their energy saving. Their diet also helps in their energy saving abilities. They feed on small crustaceans, sea pens, sea worms, and any other small organisms that swim right in front of them. Their name is derived from the Greek psychrolouteo, meaning "to have a cold bath". [8] They tend to live in colder waters, although some range into warm-temperate seas. [9]
The blob sculpin, Psychrolutes phrictus, exhibits complex nesting behaviors complete with egg guarding. [10] Reproductively the blobfish have been seen gathering in large numbers to lay their pinkish eggs in a single surrounding nesting area. The number of eggs laid within one nest can range from 9,000 to 108,000. Another observation of the parental care of the blobfish is that their eggs resemble being cleaned. It is believed that as the female blobfish hover around the nests they also clean them and remove any sand or dirt.
Psychrolutidae is divided into two subfamilies in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World as follows: [11] [12]
Other authorities include many of the genera of marine sculpins from the family Cottidae in the Psychrolutidae, leaving the Cottidae as a largely freshwater family. For example, the Catalog of Fishes classifies the family as follows: [13]
A sculpin is a type of fish that belongs to the superfamily Cottoidea in the order Scorpaeniformes. As of 2006, this superfamily contains 7 families, 94 genera, and 387 species.
The Scorpaeniformes are a diverse order of ray-finned fish, including the lionfishes and sculpins, but have also been called the Scleroparei. It is one of the five largest orders of bony fishes by number of species, with over 1,320.
The Cottidae are a family of fish in the superfamily Cottoidea, the sculpins. It is the largest sculpin family, with about 275 species in 70 genera. They are referred to simply as cottids to avoid confusion with sculpins of other families.
Cottus is a genus of the mainly freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. They are often referred to as the "freshwater sculpins", as they are the principal genus of sculpins to be found in fresh water. They are native to the Palearctic and Nearctic.
Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes in the suborder Zoarcoidei of the order Scorpaeniformes. Most species are found in the North Pacific Ocean with a few in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The pale toadfish is a fathead sculpin of the family Psychrolutidae.
Psychrolutes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Psychrolutidae, the fatheads and toadfishes. Though found predominantly in the deep sea, a handful of species are present in the intertidal regions of the North Pacific rim. In June 2003, During the NORFANZ Expedition north-west of New Zealand, scientists trawled a specimen of P. microporos at a depth between 1,013 metres (3,323 ft) and 1,340 metres (4,400 ft) on the Norfolk Ridge.
The blob sculpin is a species of deep-sea fish of the family Psychrolutidae. It feeds mainly on crustaceans, molluscs, and sea pens.
Artediellus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. Most of the fishes in this genus are found in the northern Pacific Ocean but they also occur in the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.
Pseudoblennius is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Zesticelus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Cottunculus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Psychrolutidae. These fishes are found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.
The spinyhead sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Psychrolutidae, the fatheads. This species is found in the northern Pacific Ocean. This species is the only species in the monospecific genus Dasycottus.
Ebinania is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Psychrolutidae, the fatheads. These fishes are found in the Southern, Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Eurymen is a small genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Psychrolutidae, the fatheads. These fishes are found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
Gilbertidia is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Psychrolutidae, the fatheads and toadfishes. These fishes are found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
Malacocottus is a genus of fatheads native to the northern Pacific Ocean. Malacocottus are typically occupied in the benthic zone near the bottom of the northern Pacific Ocean.
Lycodes is a genus of zoarcid fish in the subfamily Lycodinae. It is the most species-rich genus in its taxonomic family as well as in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent waters. They occupy both shallow waters and deeper waters down to 3000 meters. A few species can occur in brackish waters.
Blobfish may refer to:
Cottinae is a subfamily of ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. The subfamily has species throughout the northern hemisphere in both marine and freshwater habitats.
Glubokov, A.I., Glubokovskii, M.K. & Kovacheva, N.P. New Data on Soft Sculpin Malacocottus zonurus (Psychrolutidae) from the Northwestern Bering Sea. J. Ichthyol. 59, 435–438 (2019). Retrieved 23 March, 2021.