''Kasatkia'' is a
genus of marine
ray-finned fishes belonging to the
family Stichaeidae
Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes in the suborder Zoarcoidei of the order Scorpaeniformes. Most species are found in the North Pacific Ocean with a few in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Taxonomy
Stic ...
, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomy
''Kasatkia'' was first proposed as a
monospecific genus in 1916 by the Russian
zoologists
Vladimir Soldatov
Vladimir Konstantinovich Soldatov (russian: Владимир Константинович Солдатов, 15 July 1875 – 31 January 1941) was a Russian and Soviet ichthyologist, zoologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, professor of the Departm ...
and
Mikhail Nikolaevich Pavlenko when the
described ''Kasatkia memorabilis'' from south of
Cape Gamov in the
Sea of Japan. In 1999 a second species, the six-spot prickelback (''K. seigeli'') was described from California.
The genus is placed in the subfamily
Opisthocentrinae
Opisthocentrinae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes, classified within the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomy
Opisthocentrinae was first put forward as a subfa ...
within the family Stichaeidae by some authorities,
while other classify this taxon as a valid family, Opisthocentridae.
[ ''Kasatkia'' is considered to be closely related to ''Askoldia''.][
]
Etymology
''Kasatkia'' means belonging to ''Kasatka'', the name of the vessel that Soldatov and Pavlenko used to carry out studies on the salmon of the Amur River
The Amur (russian: река́ Аму́р, ), or Heilong Jiang (, "Black Dragon River", ), is the world's List of longest rivers, tenth longest river, forming the border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China, Northeastern China (Inne ...
.
Species
''Kasatkia'' contains the following species:
Characteristics
''Kasatkia'' pricklebacks have, like other Stichaeids, an elongated, eel-like body. They may have a scaled head, although the extent of the covering of scales appears to vary individually and they mau be absent. They presence of pelvic fins also seems to vary within the species. They are separated from ''Askoldia
''Askoldia'' is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks and shannies. Its only species is ''Askoldia variegata'' which is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomy
''Askoldia'' w ...
'' by having 7 sensory pores in a sensory canal situated between their eyes.[
]
Distribution and habitat
''Kasatkia'' pricklebacks are found in the North Pacific Ocean off eastern Asia and western North America.[ They are demersal fishes found in coastal waters at depths down to .]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4012670
Opisthocentrinae