Psychrolutidae

Taxobox
name = Fatheads

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = Polar sculpin, "Cottunculus microps"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Scorpaeniformes
subordo = Cottoidei
familia = Psychrolutidae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Ambophthalmos" "Cottunculus" "Dasycottus" "Ebinania" "Eurymen" "Gilbertidia" "Malacocottus" "Neophrynichthys" "Psychrolutes" See text for species.

The fish family Psychrolutidae contains the fatheads or fathead sculpins, including the blobfishes. There are 9 genera and about 30 species. This poorly known family consists of bottom-dwelling marine sculpins shaped like tadpoles, with large heads and bodies that taper back into small, flat tails. They generally have large, leaflike pectoral fins and some species are covered with soft spines. They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, some near the shore and others in very deep water.

Although little research has been done yet on members of this family, they are considered quite interesting by ichthyologists. The blob sculpin, "Psychrolutes phrictus", for example, exhibits complex nesting behaviors complete with egg guarding.

pecies

* Genus "Ambophthalmos"
** Pale toadfish, "Ambophthalmos angustus" (Nelson, 1977)
** "Ambophthalmos eurystigmatephoros" Jackson & Nelson, 1999
** Frilled toadfish, "Ambophthalmos magnicirrus" (Nelson, 1977)
* Genus "Cottunculus" Collett, 1875
** "Cottunculus granulosus" Karrer, 1968
** "Cottunculus konstantinovi" Myagkov, 1991
** "Cottunculus microps" Collett, 1875
** "Cottunculus nudus" Nelson, 1989
** "Cottunculus sadko" Essipov, 1937
** "Cottunculus spinosus" Gilchrist, 1906
** "Cottunculus thomsonii" (Günther, 1882)
** "Cottunculus tubulosus" Byrkjedal & Orlov, 2007
* Genus "Dasycottus"
* Genus "Ebinania"
* Genus "Eurymen"
* Genus "Gilbertidia"
* Genus "Malacocottus"
* Genus "Neophrynichthys"
** "Neophrynichthys heterospilos" Jackson & Nelson, 2000
** Dark toadfish, "Neophrynichthys latus" (Hutton, 1875)
* Genus "Psychrolutes"
** Blobfish, "Psychrolutes marcidus"
** Blob sculpin, "Psychrolutes phrictus"

External links

* [http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/about/fieldwork/norfanz/psychrol2.htm Photo of a Fathead trawled near New Zealand]