A NEW SPECIES OF SCULPIN, ICELUS-ECORNIS (SCORPAENIFORMES, COTTIDAE) FROM THE SOUTH-WESTERN OKHOTSK SEA

A new cottid species, Icelus ecornis, is described on the basis of 31 specimens collected from 159-226 m in the southwestern Okhotsk Sea off Hokkaido, Japan. It is distinguished from all other members of the ge nus Icelus by the following combination of characters: no supraocular and parietal spines; short blunt nuchal spine; cirri absent from head and body, except for supraocular, parietal and nuchal regions; plateli ke scales of dorsal row bearing 6-10 long uniform spinules; tubular la teral line scales bearing small spines on dorsal and posterior margins ; large oval black spot on first dorsal fin; 16-20 anal fin rays.