Neocottus thermalis explained

Neocottus thermalis is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. It was described by Valentina Grigorievna Sideleva in 2002.^[1] It is a freshwater, deep water-dwelling fish which is endemic to Lake Baikal, in Russia. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 430mto480mm (1,410feetto1,580feetm).

The IUCN classifies this species as Critically Endangered because it is known only from the vicinity of Frolikha Bay in northern Lake Baikal, a very restricted range, and is threatened by pollution, water extraction and waste-water treatment.

Notes and References

1. Sideleva, V. G., 2002 [ref. 26019] Fish fauna of the area of high hydrothermal activity (Frolikha Bight, Lake Baikal), with the description of a new species of the genus Neocottus (Abyssocottidae). Voprosy Ikhtiologii v. 42 (no. 2): 274-278.