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)