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Grotto sculpin

Grotto sculpin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Cottidae
Genus: Cottus
Species: C. specus
Binomial name
Cottus specus
G. L. Adams & Burr, 2013

The grotto sculpin (Cottus specus) is a species of fish in the Cottidae family. It is found in the United States where it only inhabits the Bois Brule drainage (although not recorded from the main stream itself) in Perry County of southeastern Missouri. It reaches a maximum standard length of 10.3 cm (4.1 in). This cavefish lives in underground streams and their resurgences. It was formerly confused with the more widespread C. carolinae, but can be separated by (among others) its smaller eyes and various degrees of reduced pigmentation. It is one of only three known cases of troglomorphism in the sculpin family, the others also involving U.S. Cottus (C. bairdicognatus species complex in Pennsylvania, and C. carolinae in West Virginia).


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