Parascorpaena mossambica

Last updated

Parascorpaena mossambica
ParascorpArmataKeisukeImamura.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Genus: Parascorpaena
Species:
P. mossambica
Binomial name
Parascorpaena mossambica
Synonyms [2]
  • Scorpaena mossambicaW. K. H. Peters, 1855

Parascorpaena mossambica, the Mozambique scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is native to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean to Micronesia, although the Pacific populations may be a separate species. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Parascorpaena mossambica was first formally described as Scorpaena mossambica in 1855 by the German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Peters with the type locality given as Ibo in Mozambique. [3] It is thought that there are two species and that the specimens from the Pacific Ocean should be assigned to Parascorpaena armata and that P. mossambica is only valid for Indian Ocean populations. [4] The specific name refers to the type locality, Mozambique. [5]

Description

Parascorpaena mossambica is a brown or reddish colored scorpionfish with a mottled pattern. It has long tentacles which sit on the supraorbital bone. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 9-10 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays. The pectoral fins have 15-17 fin rays and the pectoral fin has a single spine and 5 soft rays. [6] This species reaches a maximum total length of 12 cm (4.7 in). [2]

Distribution and habitat

Parascorpaena mossambica sensu lato is an Indo-West Pacific species which occurs from the coast of east Africa to the central Pacific. P. mossambica sensu stricto is found in the Western Indian Ocean and P. armata is found from the central Indian Ocean eastwards into the Pacific. [1] It is a ref associated fish occurring in shallow water down to 18 m (59 ft) where there are mixed sand and rubble in reef flats, shallow lagoons and in channels in the reef. [2]

Biology

Parascorpaena mossambica is a solitary, [1] nocturnal fish which hides during the day and comes out into the open during the night. The fin spines of this species bear venom glands. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Scorpaenodes</i> Genus of fishes

Scorpaenodes is a widespread genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. The fishes in this genus are found to the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.

<i>Rhinopias</i> Genus of fishes

Rhinopias is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. The species in this genus are found in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Phenacoscorpius, the no-lined scorpionfishes, is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. They are native to the western Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans.

<i>Neomerinthe</i> Genus of fishes

Neomerinthe is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. They are found in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.

<i>Parascorpaena</i> Genus of fishes

Parascorpaena is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. They are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Parapterois</i> Genus of fishes

Parapterois is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. These fish originate from marine environments in the Indian Ocean or near it. The venomous Parapterois heterura is occasionally seen as an aquarium fish.

The spotfin scorpionfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is known from the western Indian Ocean This species is the only known member of the genus Neoscorpanea.

<i>Parapterois heterura</i> Species of fish

Parapterois heterura, the blackfoot firefish, blackfoot firefish, blue-fin lionfish, black-Foot lionfish or gurnard lionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is widely distributed on the southeastern coast of Africa as well as off Japan and in Indonesia where it is usually found in sheltered coastal bays with a soft bottom, such as fine sand or mud. It is found in depths ranging from 40 to 300 metres. This species is a sedentary fish and may even bury itself within the substrate. P. heterura flashes its brightly colored pectoral fins to startle predators and escape, but it may also use these fins to corner prey. This behavior has been demonstrated in other lionfish. This species can be found in the aquarium trade.

<i>Parascorpaena picta</i> Species of fish

Parascorpaena picta, the Northern scorpionfish, painted scorpionfish or marbled rock cod is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. This species grows to a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) TL.

<i>Dendrochirus brachypterus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Dendrochirus barberi</i> Species of fish

Dendrochirus barberi, the Hawaiian lionfish or green lionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and lionfishes. It occurs in the Eastern Central Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

Poss's scorpionfish is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

<i>Scorpaenodes evides</i> Species of fish

Scorpaenodes evides, the cheekspot scorpionfish, little scorpionfish or shore scorpionfish, is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Scorpaenodes minor, the minor scorpionfish or Brock's scorpionfish, is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Western scorpionfish Species of fish

The western scorpionfish, also known as the neglected scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean.

Barchin scorpionfish Species of fish

The barchin scorpionfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It comes from the Indo-Pacific. The species is commonly seen in areas with mixed sand and rubble in reef flats, shallow lagoons, and channels.

Scorpaena cocosensis, the Cocos scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Parascorpaena aurita</i> Species of fish

Parascorpaena aurita, the golden scorpionfish or byno scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Scorpaenodes guamensis</i> Species of fish

Scorpaenodes guamensis, the Guam scorpionfish or common scorpionfish, is a species of venomous, marine, ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.

Humpbacked scorpionfish Species of fish

The humpbacked scorpionfish is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is found in the western Indian Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. (2016). "Parascorpaena mossambica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T69798315A69800972. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69798315A69800972.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Parascorpaena mossambica" in FishBase. August 2021 version.
  3. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Parascorpaena". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. Motomura, H.; P. Béarez; and R. Causse (2011). "Review of Indo-Pacific specimens of the subfamily Scorpaeninae (Scorpaenidae), deposited in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, with description of a new species of Neomerinthe". Cybium. 35 (1): 55–73. doi:10.26028/cybium/2011-351-006.
  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 15 January 2022.
  6. "Parascorpaena mossambica". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 16 January 2022.