Comparison of two types of gobies of the genus Icelus

Abstract

The fauna of the northern seas of Russia is still little studied, and therefore it’s interesting for science. Sculpins (Cottidae) are one of the usual inhabitants in the Arctic seas. In current paper two species of fish of this family were studied: twohorn sculpin (Icelus bicornis) and spatulate sculpin (I. spatula). I. bicornis lives in the Barents, White seas and the western part of the Kara Sea, and I. spatula lives near the bottom of the Kara Sea to the Bering Sea. Spatulate sculpins occurs also in the eastern part of the Barents Sea. Diagnostic characters that would reliably distinguish all age groups of fish of these species are not known. It was necessary to study males, females and juveniles of two species with a view to find signs for species identification.