Three New Small Snailfishes of the Genus Careproctus (Teleostei: Cottiformes: Liparidae) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Three new species of small snailfishes, with maximum lengths up to only 60 mm, are described from collections in the Aleutian Islands taken during fisheries resource assessment surveys conducted by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. Previous molecular analyses demonstrated that two of the species are closely related; the third species was found among material thought to consist only of one of these two species. Two of the new species are distinguished from all other species of Careproctus on the basis of an anterior dorsal-fin lobe with exserted rays and bodies with widespread small rounded bumps covered with tiny prickles. They are distinguished from each other on the basis of fin ray and vertebral counts, as well as differences in body shape. The third new species is diagnosed from all other species of Careproctus by having a small teardrop-shaped body, with loose thin skin and without an anterior dorsal-fin lobe, as well as by high counts of meristic characters, especially pectoral-fin rays. Each species is found widely within the Aleutian Islands from west of Kiska Island in the west to north of Umnak Island in the east at depths of 90 to 447 m.