A new species of sculpin Cottus kolymensis sp. nova (Scorpaeniformes, Cottidae) from Rivers of Kolyma

Sculpin from the Kolyma, Dukcha, and Glukhaya rivers is described as a new species Cottus kolymensis from the species group “ Cottus poecilopus ”. This species differs from the remaining species of the group ( C. altaicus, C. szanaga, C. kuznetzovi, C. koreanus , and C. volki ) in the combination of several characteristics: very short internal ray of ventral fin averaging 1/5 of the long ray; comparatively wide interorbital space equal or slightly smaller than longitudinal eye diameter, presence of teeth on palatine bones; as a rule, paired fifth pore of the preoperculo-mandibular canal; and an incomplete lateral canal terminating in two to three autonomous segments and opening by (13 + 2 + 2)-(23 + 2 + 2 + 2) pores.