The lavender sculpin (Leiocottus hirundo) is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
| Lavender sculpin | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family: | Cottidae |
| Subfamily: | Cottinae |
| Genus: | Leiocottus Girard, 1856 |
| Species: | L. hirundo
|
| Binomial name | |
| Leiocottus hirundo Girard, 1856
| |
Taxonomy edit
The lavender sculpin was first formally described by the French ichthyologist Charles Frédéric Girard in 1556 with its type locality[ given as San Miguel Island near San Diego in California.[1] Leiocottus hirundo is the only member of its genus. However, phylogenetically it falls within the diversity of the genus Clinocottus. It is a sister taxon to Clinocottus analis.[2] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Leiocottus within the subfamily Cottinae of the family Cottidae,[3] however, other authors classify the genus within the subfamily Psychrolutinae of the family Psychrolutidae.[4]
Etymology edit
The lavender sculpin's genus name, Leiocottus, is a combination of leios meaning "smooth" with Cottus, the type genus of the family Cottidae. This is a reference to the smooth skin of this fish with no prickles or scales. The specific name hirundo is Latin for a swallow and is a reference to the similarity to Chelidonichthys lucerna Girard perceived in this species.[5]
Description edit
The lavender sculpin has dorsal fins which are supported by 9 or 10 spines and 16 or 17 soft rays while the anal fin has between 14 and 16 soft rays. The pelvic fins each have a single spine and 3 rays. The color is olive-green, brown, orange-brown or lavender with four saddle-like blotches along the back of the rear of the body and there are four brown bars on the lips.[6] This species grows to a maximum published total length of 25 cm (9.8 in).[7]
Distribution and habitat edit
The lavender sculpin is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from southern California, United States to northern Baja California, Mexico. It lives from inshore waters to a depth of around 37 metres (121 ft).[7]
References edit
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Leiocottus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Thaddaeus J. Buser; J. Andrés López (2015). "Molecular phylogenetics of sculpins of the subfamily Oligocottinae (Cottidae)]". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 86: 64–74. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.03.006. PMID 25791911.
- ^ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 467–495. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Psychrolutinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (22 October 2022). "Order Perciformes: Suborder Cottoidea: Infraorder Cottales: Family Cottidae (Sculpins)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Milton S Love and Julianne Kalman Passarelli, eds. (2020). Miller and Lea's Guide to the Coastal Marine Fishes of California (2 ed.). UCANR Publications. ISBN 978-1627111256.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Leiocottus hirundo" in FishBase. August 2022 version.