Phylogeny and taxonomy of sculpins, sandfishes, and snailfishes (Perciformes: Cottoidei) with comments on the phylogenetic significance of their early-life-history specializations.

Despite recent progress on the higher-level relationships of the Cottoidei and its familial components, phylogenetic conflict and uncertainty remain within the Cottoidea. We analyzed a dataset composed of 4518 molecular (mitochondrial 12S, tRNA-Val, 16S, and cytochrome b and nuclear TMO-4c4, Histone H3, and 28S) and 72 morphological characters for 69 terminals to address cottoid intrarelationships. The resulting well-resolved phylogeny was used to produce a revised taxonomy that is consistent with the available molecular and morphological data and recognizes six families: Agonidae, Cottidae, Jordaniidae, Psychrolutidae, Rhamphocottidae, and Scorpaenichthyidae. The traditional Agonidae was expanded to include traditional hemitripterids and Hemilepidotus. The traditional Cottidae was restricted to Leptocottus, Trachidermus, and the riverine, lacustrine, and Lake Baikal freshwater cottoids. Jordaniidae (Jordania and Paricelinus) was separated from the traditional cottids; Psychrolutidae was expanded from the traditional grouping to include nearly all traditional marine cottids and the single species of bathylutichthyid. Rhamphocottidae was expanded to include the traditional ereuniids, and Scorpaenichthyidae separated Scorpaenichthys from the traditional cottids. The importance of early-life-history characters to the resulting phylogeny and taxonomy were highlighted.