Lumpfishes and Snailfishes
Cyclopteridae
Members of this family, which includes 26 species of lumpfishes and 195 species
of snailfishes, can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Antarctic
Oceans. Snailfishes and lumpfishes can be easily distinguished from each other.
Snailfishes have long, tapering, tadpole-like bodies, while lumpfishes have
short, stout bodies. Lumpfish have wart-like tubercles, whereas snailfish have
small prickles, no scales, and loose skin. The pelvic fins of both lumpfishes
and snailfishes are modified into a sucking disc that they use to adhere to
rocks or kelp. They consume a variety of invertebrates and the occasional small
fish. The unfertilized eggs of some species are sold as caviar, while their
flesh is used for human consumption.
The striped seasnail, Liparis liparis, is a North Atlantic snailfish
that may also occur in Arctic waters, but this is not confirmed.
Thirteen species from this family occur in the Arctic:
Atlantic seasnail (Liparis atlanticus)
Atlantic spiny lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus spinosus)
arctic lumpsucker (Cyclopteropsis macalpini)
black seasnail (Paraliparis bathybius)
dusky snailfish (Liparis gibbus)
gelatinous snailfish (Liparis fabricii)
kelp snailfish (Liparis tunicatus)
leatherfin lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus derjugini)
lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)
pouty snailfish (Paraliparis garmani)
sea tadpole (Careproctus reinhardti)
smooth lumpfish (Cyclopteropsis jordani)
threadfin seasnail (Rhodichthys regina)