stone sculpin

{{Speciesbox

| image = Paracottus knerii 002.jpg

| display_parents = 3

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Bogutskaya, N. |year=2020 |title=Paracottus knerii |volume=2020 |page=e.T159634674A159635160 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T159634674A159635160.en |access-date=20 April 2025}}

| parent_authority = Taliev, 1949

| taxon = Paracottus knerii

| authority = (Dybowski, 1874)

| synonyms= {{Specieslist

| Cottus knerii | Dybowski, 1874

| Cottus knerii var. nudus | Dybowski, 1908

| Paracottus insularis | Taliev, 1955

| Paracottus kneri putorania | Koryakov & Sidelov, 1976

}}

The stone sculpin (Paracottus knerii) is a species of cottoid fish. It is endemic to Russia, where it is found in Lake Baikal and surrounding tributaries as well as the Gramninskie Lakes, Lake Verkhnaya Agata and the Enisei River and various lakes in Tuva. The stone sculpin is the only recognised species in the monotypic genus Paracottus .{{FishBase |genus= Paracottus|species= knerii| month = May | year = 2017}}

It is often eaten by the Baikal seal, especially in the autumn.{{cite web| title=Baikal seal | url=http://baikal.ru/en/baikal/excursion/nerpa.html | publisher=baikal.ru | accessdate=7 June 2017}}

Taxonomy

The stone sculpin was first formally described as Cottus knerii in 1874 by the Polish zoologist Benedykt Dybowski with its type locality given as Lake Baikal and the Angara, Irkut and Selenga rivers in Siberia.{{Cof genus|genus=Paracottus|access-date=7 March 2023}} In 1949, Dmitrii Nikolaevich Taliev classified the stone sculpin in the genus Paracottus.{{Cof family|family=Cottidae|access-date=7 March 2023}} The genus was classified in the family Cottocomephoridae, however, the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus within the subfamily Cottinae of the family Cottidae, studies having found that the genera formerly included in the Cottocomephoridae were a clade arising from the genus Cottus.{{BioRef |fotw5 |pages= 467–495}}

Appearance

Maximum total length of the stone sculpin is {{cvt|14.4|cm|in}}, but most are {{cvt|7-9|cm|in}}.{{cite web| title=Каменная широколобка [Paracottus knerii] | url=http://zooexcurs.baikal.ru/vertebrata/Paracottus_knerii.htm | publisher=zooex.baikal.ru | language=Russian | accessdate=31 May 2017}} Its colour varies from olive to brown or grey, and it has several dark spots and bands.

Habitat

The stone sculpin is most common in the southern part of Lake Baikal and prefers areas with a stony bottom, but may also occur over sand. It is typically found from shallow water to a depth of {{cvt|50|m|ft}}, but can occur to {{cvt|100|m|ft}}.

Behavior

The stone sculpin breeds in the late spring and summer in water that is {{cvt|6-10|C|F}}, and up to {{cvt|1.5|m|ft|0}} deep. The female lays 200–700 eggs in a crevice under a stone, which are guarded by the male and hatch after about one month. This sculpin feeds on small animals such as copepods and amphipods.

References

Category:Cottinae

Category:Fish of Lake Baikal

Category:Fish described in 1874