Cottus

Cottus is a genus of freshwater fishes in the family Cottidae, commonly known as sculpins. They are primarily found in streams and rivers of the Holarctic region, with some species inhabiting lakes. Members of the genus are typically small to medium-sized bottom-dwellers, adapted to fast-flowing, rocky or gravel substrates. They have a broad, flat head, a tapered body, large pectoral fins, and often mottled coloration that camouflages them on the substrate. Diet consists mainly of aquatic invertebrates and small fish, caught by ambush or opportunistic predation.

Taxonomy and distribution: Cottus comprises numerous described species, distributed across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. The genus is a part of the sculpin family, and taxonomic placement within broader classifications has varied over time; molecular studies have helped clarify relationships within Scorpaeniformes or related groupings in some systems.

In Greek mythology, Cottus is also the name of one of the Hecatonchires, the hundred-handed giants and offspring of Gaia and Uranus. Along with Briareus and Gyges, Cottus aided Zeus in the Titanomachy, and the giants are depicted as formidable adversaries and enforcers in various mythic traditions.