Spotfin scorpionfish

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Spotfin scorpionfish
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Subfamily: Scorpaeninae
Tribe: Scorpaenini
Genus: Neoscorpaena
Mandritsa, 2001
Species:
N. nielseni
Binomial name
Neoscorpaena nielseni
Synonyms [2]
  • Sebastapistes neilseniJ. L. B. Smith, 1964
  • Neomerinthe neilseni(J. L. B. Smith, 1964)

The spotfin scorpionfish (Neoscorpaena nielseni) 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

The spotfin scorpionfish was first formally described in 1964 as Sebastapistes neilseni by the South African ichthyologist J. L. B. Smith with the type locality given as off Durban in South Africa. [3] In 2001 the Russian biologist Sergey Mandritsa placed this species in the monotypic genus Neoscorpaena. [4] The genus name translates as "new Scorpaena", as this species is similar to the fishes in the genus Scorpaena but is distinguished by having a slit behind the gill arches. The specific name honours the Danish zoologist Jørgen G. Nielsen of the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen in recognition of the assistance he gave to Smith's research. [5]

Description

The spotfin scorpionfish has a dorsal fin which contains 12 spines and 9-10, typically 10 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays. There are 18 fin rays in the pectoral fins. The large head has a length equivalent to 45.9-48.6% of the standard length while the large eyes have an orbital diameter of 12.0-17.1% of standard length, although this decreases markedly as the fish grows. There is no lateral lacrimal spine the anterior lacrimal spine is rounded and is not shaped like a spine while the posterior lacrimal spine has a triangular shape. There are 4-8 suborbital spines. The preoperculum p has 5 spines with an extra spine on uppermost spine. The preocular, supraocular, postocular and tympanic spines are well developed. The interorbital ridges are connected at the rear to the bases of the tympanic spines and the parietal spineis absent. The nuchal spine is large and well developed and starts at the posterior end of the tympanic spine. There are no interorbital, coronal or pretympanic spines. The back of the head is almost flat, lacking an occipital pit. There are 2-13 sphenotic spines and the parietal, lower posttemporal and supracleithral spines are all well developed. There is no upper posttemporal spine, although a small spine can be found between the nuchal and lower posttemporal spines. The maxilla extends to just short of or as far as the rear edge of the orbit. There vomerine and palatine teeth. The pectoral fin is bilobed. [2] The overall colour is reddish with yellow blotches on the upper head and body. There is normally a dark blotch near the rear of the spiny part of the dorsal fin. [6] This species grows to a maximum recorded standard length of 21.6 cm (8.5 in). [2]

Distribution and habitat

The spotfin scorpionfish is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It occurs off the eastern coast of South Africa, as well as Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and Réunion. [1] This is a demersal fish and it is found at depths between 40 and 507 m (131 and 1,663 ft). [2] Little is known about the biology of this species. [1]

Related Research Articles

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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>Sebastapistes</i> Genus of fishes

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

<i>Scorpaenopsis</i> Genus of fishes

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

<i>Ebosia</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Neomerinthe</i> Genus of fishes

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<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>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>Rhinopias aphanes</i> Species of fish

Rhinopias aphanes, the lacy scorpionfish, weedy scorpionfish or Merlet's scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. This species is found in the Western Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western scorpionfish</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barchin scorpionfish</span> 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.

<i>Scorpaenopsis neglecta</i> Species of fish

Scorpaenopsis neglecta, the yellowfin scorpionfish or bandtail scorpionfish, is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific.

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>Trachyscorpia</i> Genus of fishes

Trachyscorpia is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. The species in this genus are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.

<i>Lythrichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Lythrichthys, the red deepwater scorpionfishes, is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the subfamily Setarchinae, the deep-sea bristly scorpionfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. They are native to the 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>Scorpaena jacksoniensis</i> Species of fish

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<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humpbacked scorpionfish</span> Species of fish

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Motomura, H.; Matsuura, K. & Khan, M. (2018). "Neoscorpaena nielseni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T114177531A115016913. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T114177531A115016913.en . Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Neoscorpaena neilseni" in FishBase. August 2021 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Neoscorpaena". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Scorpaenidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  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 13 January 2022.
  6. ↑ 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.
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