Dendrochirus brachypterus

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Dendrochirus brachypterus
Dendrochirus brachypterus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Genus: Dendrochirus
Species:
D. brachypterus
Binomial name
Dendrochirus brachypterus
(Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms [2]
  • Pterois brachypteraCuvier, 1829

Dendrochirus brachypterus, the dwarf lionfish, short-finned turkeyfish, shortspine rockcod or shortspine scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and lionfishes. It is found in the Indo-Pacific. It is sometimes found in the aquarium trade.

Contents

Taxonomy

Dendrochirus brachypterus was first formally described in 1829 as Pterois brachyptera by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with no type locality given. [3] This species is the type species of the brachypterus species complex within the genus Dendrochirus . [4] The specific name means "short-finned", an allusion to the relatively short pectoral fins compared to Dendrochirus zebra which Cuvier first described in the same publication. [5]

Description

Dendrochirus brachypterus has 13 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays in its dorsal fin, the middle spines of the dorsal fin are shorter than the depth of the body, and there are 3 spines and 5 soft rays in the anal fin. [2] The background colour is dusky mottled brown to reddish-brown broken by darker bars on the body. The pectoral fins are distinctly banded. There is a short tentacle over the eye and leaf-like appendages on the head and along the lateral line which vary in their development. There are no filaments on the pelvic fins. [6] There are black spots edged with red on the filaments extending from the dorsal spines and there are 8-10 dark bars on pectoral fins. [7] This species attains a maximum published total length of 17 cm (6.7 in). [2]

Distribution and habitat

Dendrochirus brachypterus has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution from the eastern coast of Africa from the Red Sea south to South Africa and eastwards to Samoa, north to the Philippines and south to Australia. [1] In Australian waters, this species occurs from the Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia to Sydney in New South Wales, as well as Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. [6] The dwarf lionfish is found at depths between 1 and 80 m (3 ft 3 in and 262 ft 6 in) in reef flats and shallow lagoons, where there are weed-covered rocks on sandy substrates. [2]

Biology

Dendochirus brachypterus is a nocturnal predator of small crustaceans. [1] The adults are frequently found on sponges while small aggregations of up to 10 juveniles frequent reef outcrops. [2] During the day, it shelters in caves and crevices and among sponges . [6] The males and females form pairs to mate, and the females have specialised structures on the ovaries, including stalk-like egg-creating lamellae and secretory cells in the epithelium. [2] The dorsal fin spines are venomous. [6]

Use

Dendochirus brachypterus is used as a food fish in some subsistence fisheries. [1] It is occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. [8] It has laid eggs in captivity, but raising the young has proved very difficult. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. (2016). "Dendrochirus brachypterus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016 e.T69793633A69800927. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69793633A69800927.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Dendrochirus brachypterus". FishBase . February 2022 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Dendrochirus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  4. ↑ Matsunuma, M.; H. Motomura; and S. V. Bogorodsky (2017). "Review of Indo-Pacific dwarf lionfishes (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) in the Dendrochirus brachypterus complex, with description of a new species from the western Indian Ocean". Ichthyological Research. 64 (4): 369–414. Bibcode:2017IchtR..64..369M. doi:10.1007/s10228-017-0583-6.
  5. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (2 October 2021). "Order Perciformes (Part 9): Suborder Scorpaenoidei: Family Scorpaenidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. (2017). "Dendrochirus brachypterus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Dendrochirus brachypterus Scorpaenidae Dwarf Lionfish". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Bob Goemans (2012). "Dendrochirus brachypterus (Cuvier, 1829) Dwarf Lionfish, Shortfin Lionfish". Saltcorner Fish Library. Bob Goemans. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish Dendrochirus brachypterus". Maidenhead Aquatics. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
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