RICHARDSON: CURRENT KNOWLEDGE OF SCULPIN LARVAE 



similar to each other than to any other cottids 

 considered, although Scorpaenichthys was given 

 familial status in the past (Jordan 1923; Tarenets 

 1941). 



Group 5 



This group consists of two elongated, slender- 

 bodied genera, Blepsias and Nautichthys (Figure 

 6). Both hatch at a relatively large size, >7 mm 

 NL (notochord length). Both have rounded snouts, 

 relatively heavy pigmentation, and four preoper- 

 cular spines that never become pronounced and 

 sharp. Nautichthys (at least A^. oculofasciatus) 

 develops greatly elongated pectoral fins soon after 

 hatching, each of which develops a pigment band 

 near its distal margin. 



The genera Blepsias and Nautichthys have 

 been placed in a separate family, Blepsiidae, in 

 the past (Jordan 1923). 



Group 6 



Group 6 (Figure 7) contains Leptocottus and 

 Cottus (as based on the brackish water species C. 

 asper). They share several characters, including 

 the relatively slender body, rounded snout, four 

 preopercular spines, absence of other head spines, 



ventral midline pigment along gut, and postanal 

 pigment restricted to ventral midline. Both hatch 

 and transform at similar sizes, ca. 3-4 mm NL and 

 ca. 10-12 mm SL, respectively. Leptocottus has a 

 unique gut pigment pattern of bars, and Cottus 

 has a distinctively coiled gut. 



Ungrouped Genera 



Enophrys (Figure 8) has four pronounced pre- 

 opercular spines, rounded snout, deep stubby 

 shape, pigmented nape, and postanal pigment 

 only along the ventral midline. It has a postocular 

 spine and opercular spines, and a preanal fin fold. 

 Melanophores over the gut are distinctively round 

 in shape and densely concentrated. This suite of 

 larval characters is not shared by any other genus. 

 Enophrys bears some resemblance to Group 6 

 (Leptocottus-Cottus) but differs too much to be 

 part of it. The deep body, bulging gut, and pig- 

 mented nape somewhat resemble Group 1 (Ar- 

 tedius et al.) but spine patterns differ drastically. 

 Larvae of E. bubalis and E. lilljeborgi from the 

 North Atlantic (Table 1) are extremely similar to 

 E. bison from the northeast Pacific. 



Gymnocanthus (Figure 8) apparently never de- 

 velops pronounced preopercular spines, according 

 to the literature (Table 1). Larvae of G. tricuspis 



^^*^ 



Figure 6. — Larvae of A) Blepsias cirrhosus (11 mm NL) and B) Nautichthys oculofasciatus (11.7 mm NL) (A, original illustration; 



B, Richardson and Washington 1980). 



113 



