Cottus_specus
Grotto sculpin
Species of fish
The grotto sculpin (Cottus specus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins.[2] It is found in the United States where it only inhabits the Bois Brule drainage (although not recorded from the main stream itself) in Perry County of southeastern Missouri.[3] It reaches a maximum standard length of 10.3 cm (4.1 in).[2] This cavefish lives in underground streams and their resurgences.[2] It was formerly confused with the more widespread C. carolinae, but can be separated by (among others) its smaller eyes and various degrees of reduced pigmentation.[2][3] It is one of only three known cases of troglomorphism in the sculpin family, the others also involving U.S. Cottus (C. bairdi—cognatus species complex in Pennsylvania, and C. carolinae in West Virginia).[3]
