Molecular phylogenetics of sculpins of the subfamily Oligocottinae (Cottidae)

• New phylogenetic proposal for the subfamily Oligocottinae and tribe Oligocottini.
• Sigmistes Rutter 1898 and Phallocottus Schultz 1938 are not oligocottines.
• Sigmistes Rutter 1898 and Phallocottus Schultz 1938 form a strongly supported clade.
• Clinocottus Gill 1861 is shown to be a polyphyletic assemblage as currently defined.
• Leiocottus hirundo Girard 1856 and Clinocottus analis Gill 1861 are sister taxa.

The sculpin subfamily Oligocottinae includes 18–20 species of nearshore benthic fishes with a diverse array of reproductive strategies. As a first step toward understanding the evolution of that diversity, we conducted a phylogenetic study based on DNA sequences from eight genomic regions from 31 sculpin species aimed at testing monophyly and relationships of the Oligocottinae. Representatives from the perciform families Agonidae, Cottidae, Hemitripteridae, Hexagrammidae, Psychrolutidae, and Rhamphocottidae served as outgroups. The sequence data were analyzed in maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference frameworks. Results of these analyses show that a systematic revision of the group is warranted. The genus Clinocottus is a polyphyletic assemblage of three distinct lineages, which should be indicated by resurrection of the subgenera Blennicottus, Clinocottus, and Oxycottus; Leiocottus hirundo is more closely related to Clinocottus analis than C. analis is related to any other member of Clinocottus; the composition of the tribe Oligocottini should be revised to include only the genera Oligocottus, Clinocottus, and Orthonopias; and the genus Sigmistes should be removed from the subfamily Oligocottinae.

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