Scientists have discovered a new species of freshwater fish cedar sculpin (Cottus schitsuumsh), which has a huge head and looks ugly.
Scientists from the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station surveyed fish in the upper Columbia River basin and suspected the presence of several undescribed species of sculpins. The newly discovered species of fish was found in the Coeur d' Alene and St. Joe River basins in Idaho and part of the Clark Fork River basin in Montana.
Researchers at the University of Montana also confirmed these suspicions after conducting morphological studies, which unveiled slight but constant differences between one of these new fish species and the previously suspected species, the shorthead sculpin.
Genetic examinations of the new fish species was conducted at the Wildlife Genetics Lab in Missoula, Montana, and confirmed the results, which led to the description of a new species of fish.
"Recognizing species of sculpins is a challenge because even distantly related species look very much alike. So rather than taking a morphological approach to identification, we used genetic methods to delineate the species," said Michael Young, Forest Service research fisheries biologist. "It's really exciting to find a new species of fish. It's something you might expect in more remote parts of the world, but not in the U.S."
The current range of the new fish species overlaps the historical homeland of the Coeur d' Alene Tribe. Scientists are said to have consulted with Tribal elders to seek a scientific name for the new fish and named it Cottus schitsuumsh.
"Translated, Schitsu'umsh means 'those who were found here' and is the name for the Tribe. The common name refers to the western redcedar, a tree often found in streamside stands in this region," per the U.S. Forest Service.
Sculpins are often the only small fish found in headwater streams and provide two main resources; food source for trout and salmon, and also an indicator of the water quality.
The newly found fish species eat aquatic insects and normally do not grow more than 6 inches (15 centimeters). The fish is brown and white in color, which helps it to camouflage and makes it difficult for bigger fish to detect.
Don Johnson, a professor emeritus in fishery biology at Idaho State University, said that the discovery of the new species indicates that "Mother Nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve."
