142 



James D. Williams and William M. Howell 



Fig. 1. Albino Banded sculpin, Cottus carolinae, (67 mm SL) from Buckeye Creek 

 Cave, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, collected 3 September 1967. 



was white to cream colored, without any dark pigment. Eye color was not 

 noted at that time (J. A. Stellmack, pers. comm.). 



On 7 August 1970 we visited Buckeye Creek Cave to search for ad- 

 ditional specimens of Cottus. No albinos were seen, but 48 normally 

 pigmented Cottus carolinae, ranging from 18 to 91 mm SL, were collected 

 inside and outside the cave. We found specimens to a distance of 400 m 

 inside the cave, which was as far as we explored. 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



Other atypical features present in the Buckeye Creek Cave albino in- 

 clude: (1) a frenum; (2) enlargement of the cephalic canal pores and fu- 

 sion of the postmandibular pores; and (3) dorsal spine and pelvic fin ray 

 counts that are atypical for a member of the Cottus carolinae species group 

 (Table 1). The presence of a frenum in the albino sculpin is most un- 

 usual. This condition is not known to occur in any other member of the 

 genus Cottus or in the family Cottidae. 



Enlargement of the cephalic canal pores and fusion of the postman- 

 dibular pores may be associated with the albinistic condition, but are 

 more likely results of conditions in the cave environment. McAllister 

 (1968) reported enlarged pores on sculpins from poorly lighted environ- 

 ments, such as deep lakes and muddy water, compared with sculpins in 

 well lighted environments. Fusion of the two postmandibular pores into a 

 single large pore is a condition that rarely occurs in surface dwelling 

 sculpins. Seven of the 20 specimens (29-91 mm SL) of the 48 normally- 

 pigmented specimens taken inside Buckeye Creek Cave and outside 

 around the entrance had the postmandibular pores fused into a single 

 pore. 



