Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Cottoidei (Sculpins) >
Cottidae (Sculpins)
Etymology: Cottus: Greek, kottos = a fish (Ref. 45335); tallapoosae: The specific name is in reference to the Tallapoosa River, to which this species is endemic. Tallapoosa is an ancient Upper Creek American Indian settlement on the river; originally derived from the Choctaw 'pulverized rock'..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Subtropical
North America: endemic to the Tallapoosa River drainage above the Fall Line in the east-central Alabama and west-central Georgia, USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 72414)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 18; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14; Vertebrae: 29 - 32. Diagnosed from all congeners except Cottus chattahoochee by the combination of the following characters: modally eight infraorbital canal pores; five bones in the suborbital series; reduced palatine teeth; a flexible spine and four rays in the pelvic fin; preoperculomandibular canals not fused at anterior rami of mandibles, with two pores at tip of chin; pectoral rays simple; preopercular armature well-developed with two or three spines; chin not mottled; and dorsal fins separate. Differs from Cottus chattahoochee by having the following features: usually incomplete lateral line (vs. complete); dermal prickling reduced or absent, when present generally restricted to a few scattered prickles in area along anterior part of lateral line (vs. a robust postpectoral patch in addition to prickles along the anterior lateral line); and narrow to moderately wide saddles (vs. moderate or wide) (Ref. 72414).
Inhabits clean gravel or rocky bottomed streams with moderate to swift current. Frequently found in streams 3-15 m wide and at depths of 0.5-0.7 m (Ref. 72414). Feeds on anything alive which fits into its mouth (Ref. 72414).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Neely, D.A., J.D. Williams and R.L. Mayden, 2007. Two new sculpins of the genus Cottus (Teleostei: Cottidae) from rivers of the eastern north America. Copeia 2007(3):641-655. (Ref. 72414)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
