On the Finding of a Spawning Male of Eumicrotremus taranetzi with Comments on Validity of E. tartaricus (Cyclopteridae, Cottoidei)

A spawning male of Eumicrotremus taranetzi has been found and described for the first time The species belonging to this group is indicated by the significant number and arrangement of bone plaques, as well as their shape—flattened, rising towards the center in the form of a cone, on the radially striated lateral surface there are a few thin and short spines, invisible on an X-ray, and two or three larger spines at the top. In the spawning male, the bone plaques on the head and body are significantly reduced to the point of complete disappearance, in which case circles with black pigment remain along the edges in place of the original boundaries of the bone plaques. A comparison was made with closely related species from the “orbis” group—a spawning male of E. orbis and type specimens of E. tartaricus. The problem of the validity of E. tartaricus, which is recognized as an independent species, has been discussed.