| Rhamphocottus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Grunt sculpin (Rhamphocottus richardsonii) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family: | Rhamphocottidae |
| Genus: | Rhamphocottus Günther, 1874 |
| Type species | |
| Rhamphocottus richardsonii Günther, 1874 | |
Rhamphocottus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Rhamphocottidae. These fishes are known as grunt sculpins. The grunt sculpins are found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Rhamphocottus was first proposed as a monospecific genus by the German born British herpetologist and ichthyologist Albert Günther in 1874 when he described R. richardsoni from Fort Rupert in British Columbia. [1] [2] This genus was regarded as the only genus in the monogeneric family Rhamphocottidae but in 2014 the family Ereunidae was synonymised with the Rhamphocottidae and the genera Ereunias and Marukawichthys were added to the family. [3] A second species of the genus, R. nagaakii was descrinbed in 2022. [4]
Rhamphocottus is a combination of rhamphos, meaning "beak", and cottus , the type genus of the Cottoidea, an allusion to the elongated snout of these fishes. [5]
Rhamphocottus contains two species: [6] [2]
Rhamphocottus grunt sculpins have a large head which can be equivalent to as much as 60% of their standard length with an elongated snout and bony ridges on either side of the head, an alternative name suggested for them was horsehead sculpins. They have a deep body with the dorsal profile being high and the body is moderately compressed. Therer are small plates with multiple spines on the head and body, the spines sticking through the skin to create a prickly defence. There is a single robust and sharp spine on the preoperculum. All of the finrays are simple. There are two separate dorsal fins, the first dorsal fin is supported by between 7 and 9 spines while the second contains 12 to 14 soft rays. The anal fin has 6 to 8 softrays, and is situated opposite the rear fin rays of the second dorsal fin. The pelvic fins have a single spine and 3 or 4 soft rays. The lower pectoral fin rays are elongated, robust, and free of the fin membrane, these are used in crawling along the substrate. There is a lateral line but this is only extends to the rear third of the second dorsal fin, and comprises roughly 25 pores set in short, raised tubes. There are no teeth on the palatine. There is a broad fusion of the gill membranes with the isthmus and the gill slits are small and set over the base of the pectoral fins. There is no swim bladder. [7] The maximum published total length for this genus is 8.9 cm (3.5 in). [8]
Rhamphocottus grunt sculpins are found in the North Pacific Ocean where they are found from the intertidal zone down to 165 m (541 ft), being found tidal pools and rocky areas, as well as areas with sand substrates. [8] R. richardsonii is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean between Alaska and California while R. nagaakii is found off Japan., the two species seem to have been separated in a cool period of the Miocene or Pliocene and have some morphological and genetic differences. [4]
Rhamphocottus grunt sculpins are often seen sheltering in empty shells, including those of the giant barnacle ( Balanus nubilis ) as well as discarded bottles and cans. They feed on small crustaceans, fish larvae and zooplankton. [7] During spawning the females chase the males into rock crevices, keeping him in the crevice until she lays an egg mass. [8]
Rhamphocottidae is a family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the superfamily Cottoidea, the sculpins. The species in this family occur in the North Pacific Ocean.
Pholidae is a family of marine ray-finned fishes, known as gunnels, in the scorpaeniform suborder Zoarcoidei. These are fishes of the littoral zone and are mainly found in North Pacific Ocean, with two species found in the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean.
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 scaled sculpins, Icelus, are 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 North Atlantic Ocean.
The snubnose sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This fish is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The stripedfin ronquil, also known as the bluebanded ronquil, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathymasteridae, the ronquils. This fish is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Zaniolepis, the combfishes, is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, it is one of two genera in the family Zaniolepididae. These fishes are native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Z. frenata that was a source of food to the Native American inhabitants of San Nicolas Island off the coast of southern California, United States during the Middle Holocene.
Clinocottus globiceps, the mosshead sculpin or globe-headed sculpin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This sculpin is found in the northeastern Pacific.
The roughback sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The roughback sculpin is the only known member of the genus Chitonotus.
Ereunias is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Rhamphocottidae, the grunt sculpins. Its only species is Ereunias grallator which is a bathydemersal species found at depths of around 500 m (1,600 ft) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off Japan. This species attains a maximum published total length of 30 cm (12 in). This species was first formally described in 1901 by the American ichthyologists David Starr Jordan and John Otterbein Snyder from Misaki, Sagami in Japan. Jordan and Snyder proposed the new genus Ereunias for the new species. The genus name is derived from ereunao, meaning "to explore" which may refer how it uses elongated pectoral-fin rays as feelers or “feet” to explore the substrate; suffixed with ias which is used in some Greek names for fishes. The specific name grallator is "stiltwalker" in Latin and is an allusion to the elongated pectoral fin rays. Along with the genus Marukawichthys this taxon was classified in the family Ereunidae but this was synonymised with the Rhamphocottidae in 2014.
Blepsias cirrhosus, the silverspotted sculpin, is a species of sculpin belonging to the subfamily Hemitripterinae of the family Agonidae. This species is found the northern Pacific Ocean from the Sea of Japan and Alaska to San Miguel Island off southern California.
Blepsias bilobus, the crested sculpin, is a species of sculpin belonging to the subfamily Hemitripterinae of the family Agonidae. This species is found in the North Pacific Ocean.
The rosy sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It inhabits the coastal northeastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from California (US) to Baja California.
The bald sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Stichaeopsis is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the western North Pacific Ocean.
Askoldia is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks and shannies. Its only species is Askoldia variegata which is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Lumpenopsis is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Jordaniidae is a small family of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Scorpaeniformes. These fishes are found in the eastern North Pacific Ocean.
Rhamphocottus nagaakii is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Rhamphocottidae, the grunt sculpins. This species was first formally described in 2022 with its type locality given as off Minami-Sanriku cho in Miyagi Prefecture of Japan. It is thought to have evolved from a common ancestor to the grunt sculpin but the two species were thought to have been separated by a cooling event during either the Pliocene or Miocene. This species differs from the grunt sculpin genetically and morphologically. The specific name honours Nagaaki Satoh, a professional diving instructor, who was the first to observe the reproductive behaviour of R. nagaakii and passed these observations to the species' describers.
Clinocottus embryum, the calico sculpin or mossy sculpin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.