Family Liparidae

Snailfishes

Selected Characters: Body elongate; skin naked and jellylike, with small prickles present in some species; pelvic fins united as sucking disc in most species, but absent in Nectoliparis; dorsal and anal fins long, may be confluent with caudal.

This family is entirely marine, but is otherwise widely distributed with regard to both geography and habitat type. Liparids are found throughout most of the world's oceans from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from warm to frigid waters, and from tidepools to depths in excess of 7500 meters. There are believed to be about 195 species in this family, though many species remain undescribed at this time. Ten species occur in Puget Sound; all are less than about 31 cm long. The family is somewhat infrequent in most of Puget Sound but is common near the San Juan Islands.

Puget Sound Species

Careproctus melanurus Blacktail Snailfish

Liparis callyodon Spotted Snailfish

Liparis cyclopus Ribbon Snailfish

Liparis dennyi Marbled Snailfish

Liparis florae Tidepool Snailfish

Liparis fucensis Slipskin Snailfish

Liparis pulchellus Showy Snailfish

Nectoliparis pelagicus Tadpole Snailfish

Polypera beringiana Bering Snailfish

Polypera greeni Lobefin Snailfish