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@sicbjournals.bsky.socialSep 10, 2026, 8:41 PM

IOB
"These results demonstrate a repeated skeletal lightening and body shape changes accompanying benthic-to- #pelagic transitions..."

Parallel Reduction in Skeletal Density During Benthic to Pelagic Transitions in Baikal #Sculpins
doi.org/10.1093/iob/...
Gutierrez et al

#biology #science

Fig. 2 Patterns of skull bone mineral density across the Baikal sculpin radiation. (A) Mean percentage of hydroxyapatite, comparing benthic and pelagic/benthopelagic (Comephorus and Cottocomephorus) groups. (B) Skull density heatmaps of representative Baikal sculpins, including two pelagic species ( C. baikalensis and Cot. grewingkii ) and four benthic species ( Ab. pallidus , Ab. thermalis , Ab. platy- cephalus , and P. knerii ). (C) Mean differences in hydroxyapatite percentage between benthic and pelagic groups, with ANOVA P -values transformed via −log1 0 for visualization ( Table S3). Dashed line indicates a P -value of 0.05.
@sicbjournals.bsky.socialSep 9, 2026, 11:47 AM

IOB

"While freshwater #sculpins (Cottidae, Perciformes) are usually #benthic, two genera in Lake Baikal, Comephorus and Cottocomephorus, have independently evolved into mid-water niches."

from
B A Gutierrez et al

doi.org/10.1093/iob/...

#science #pelagic #adaptations

Fig. 1 Benthic-to-pelagic transitions during the Baikal sculpin #adaptive radiation. (A) Bathymetric map of Lake Baikal [data from (De Batist et al. 2006 )]. (B) The adaptive radiation of the Baikal sculpins from a shallow benthic common ancestor into bathybenthic, ben- thopelagic, and #pelagic species. (C) Cladogram and skull reconstructions at optimum brightness for each scan from selected species of Baikal #sculpins. Red indicates pelagic (filled circle, Comephorus ) or benthopelagic (unfilled circle, Cottocomephorus ) species, gray indicates benthic species and black benthopelagic species. Cladogram and habitat associations adapted from ancestral state reconstructions in (Sandel et al. 2025 ). Skeleton brightness optimized for each scan. Scale bars in C represent 10 mm.
@sicbjournals.bsky.socialSep 8, 2026, 11:25 AM

IOB
Parallel Reduction in Skeletal Density During Benthic to #Pelagic Transitions in Baikal #Sculpins

Brayan Gutierrez et al

doi.org/10.1093/iob/...

"Habitat transitions are a major driver of #morphological #evolution..."

#science #teleost #fish

While freshwater #sculpins (Cottidae, Perciformes) are usually benthic, two genera in Lake Baikal, Comephorus and Cottocomephorus, have independently evolved into mid-water niches. As sculpins lack a swim bladder, these lineages instead improved buoyancy through reduced skeletal density and increased lipid stores. Using micro-computed #tomography and two-dimensional morphometrics, we characterized skeletal evolution in six benthic, two benthopelagic, and two pelagic species across the Baikal sculpin radiation. Parallel changes to mineral density, porosity, and thickness evolved independently in #pelagic and benthopelagic clades, with mineral density showing the most consistent and significant reductions. Density reductions occurred throughout the skull in pelagic and benthopelagic species. The basibranchials and neurocranium exhibited the lowest overall bone density across all cranial elements. While the jaws maintained the highest absolute density values among the bones we measured, they also showed the greatest proportional reduction in density associated with pelagic habitat use, with a 56.86% decrease in percentage hydroxyapatite and a 21.39% increase in porosity. #Morphometric analyses further identified parallel evolution toward an elongate body shape, reduced and posteriorly shifted eyes, and elevated fin insertion in pelagic and benthopelagic taxa. These results demonstrate a repeated skeletal lightening and body shape changes accompanying benthic-to-pelagic transitions. This pattern mirrors other benthic-to-pelagic transitions in teleosts that lack swim bladders, highlighting shared biomechanical and microstructural solutions to life in the open water.