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First record of raggy scorpion fish Scorpaenopsis venosa (Cuvier, 1829) (Family: Scorpaenidae) from Visakhapatnam, Central Eastern Coast of India
Abstract
Fifteen specimens of Scorpaenopsis venosa (Cuvier, 1829) of total length range 86-119 mm, SL were collected from shore seine,
rarely in trawl net catches at Visakhapatnam fishing harbour, central eastern coast of India during the period 2011-2015. This species
is distinguished from its characters deep quadrangular depression across occiput; pectoral length 29.06 in percentage of standard
length; pelvic fin ray length 15.20 in percentage of standard length. The morphometric and meristic characters of the recorded
specimens are described. This is the first record from central eastern coast of India.
Keywords: First record, Scorpaenopsis venosa (Cuvier, 1829), Visakhapatnam, India
... The family Scorpaenidae, with about 375 species, in one of the largest families of fishes, distributed worldwide in both tropical and temperate waters (Fischer and Bianchi, 1984), (Froese and Pauly, 2016); Neslon et al. (2017). In India, there are many new and rare scorpaenids reported Russell (1803), Day (1875) (Krishna and Rao, 2015), Krishna (2016), , Krishna et al. (2017). Identification of Indo-Pacific scorpion fishes in their natural environment is possible in most cases. ...
Parascorpaena mossambica is one of the rare species of Scorpaenidae in the Visakhapatnam coastal waters, India. Ten specimens are characterized by Dorsal fin IX 9; Anal fin III 5-6; Pectoral fin rays 15; Lateral line scales 43-44; Lateral line Pored scales 23-24; Lateral transverse scale scales 6-7/1/12-14; lachrymal bone with two lower strong antrose spines, anterior pointed and directed forward, tip reaching dorsal margin of upper lip, covered with skin; posterior one directed forward and slightly downward; suborbital with three spines. Only few records have been made in the whole Indian waters. Due to its rarity, P. mossambica is poorly studied and little known about their biology, ecology and distribution. In the present study provides additional data on this rare species. In particular, we describe its habitat, ecology, presence and distribution with several new records in Indian waters.
Keywords: Scorpaenidae, fish, Parascorpaena mossambica, Visakhapatnam
... Recently two species of Scorpaenopsis genus belong to the family Scorpaenidae recorded from Visakhapatnam coastal waters, east coast of India [4,5] . These three Scorpaenopsis species were revealed to be new to Indian Ocean, Scorpaenopsis oxycephala that has been widely distributed from the Indo-Pacific, however not yet in the east coast of India. ...
Morphometric data of 22 specimens given in Table-1: Body oblong, slightly compressed; dorsal profile more convex than ventral; dorsal profile of head with slightly slope, with transverse quadrangular depression across occiput and occipital pit very shallow; deep concavity before eyes. Inter orbital slightly groove, narrow, becoming wider with age, coronal ridges low. Mouth large, oblique; lower jaw projecting with symphysial knob; maxilla long, distally broad, reaching to below hind border of eye, under side of lower jaw smooth, without distinct ridges; Eyes directed slightly upward, with elevated supraorbital riges. Snout very long, nostrils close to each other, round; anterior nostril with a multiciliate flap, which has long, posterior one tube like structure, slightly round; its situated a depression before eyes; a smooth median ridge from between posterior nostril to anterior part of interorbital space, flanked by two parallel smooth ridges diverging slightly posteriorly and then converging again and connected behind eye by a convex ridge, the concavity of which is directed towards the shallow occipital pit behind it. Villiform bands of teeth in jaws, and two or three rows of teeth present, inverted ‘v’ shape band of teeth on vomer; palatine teeth absent; patches of teeth on roof and floor of pharynx. Tongue smooth, free, rounded apically. Gill openings wide, gill membrane free from isthmus; pseudobranchiae present; no slit below fourth gill arch. Gill rakers reduced to spiny knobs. Preopeclemedium, slightly rounded; opercular flap pointed, its reaches origin of third dorsal base.
Based on two specimens of the flasher scorpionfish, species of Scorpaenopsis macrochir Ogilby, 1910 (85-96 mm, TL) collected from the Visakhapatnam coastal waters, India, we described S. macrochir as the new record from Indian waters. This species is characterized by having 12 dorsal spines, medial surface of pectoral fins with a black subterminal band along entire margin of fin; supraorbital spine ending in a single spinous point and unserrated ocular spines. Nasal spines usually divided into two to six small points. The present study describes full description of the species with illustration.
The validity of the scorpionfish, Rhinopias eschmeyeri, known only from the holotype from Mauritius, is confirmed, and the species is redescribed in detail on the basis of ten specimens from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean (Mascarene Islands to Japan and Australia). Additionally, R. frondosa and R. aphanes are redescribed. These three species are characterized by having one or two small dense black spots in the soft dorsal fin; the opercle without scales between the tips of the upper and lower opercular spines and the opercular margin; and 16 (rarely 15 or 17) pectoral-fin rays. Rhinopias eschmeyeri differs from the latter two species in aspects of form, location, and number of tentacles on the head and body; form of dorsal-fin margins and caudal-fin ray tips; shape of penultimate dorsal-fin spine; degree of development in lacrimal and suborbital ridge; and coloration.
A new species of scorpionfish, Maxillicosta meridianus, is described on the basis of 24 specimens collected from southeastern Australia at depths of 10-137 m. This species has previously been identified as M. whitleyi, but differs in having the following characters: central portion of inner ridge on ventral mandibular surface located on inner edge of dentary or closer to inner edge than to central ridge, no short ridge between posterior portions of inner and central ridges; 0-6 spinous points on anterior margin of nasal spine; 5-13 spinous points on surface of preocular spine; no spines or distinct ridges on lateral margin of occipital pit between tympanic spine and origin of parietal spine base; no ossified scale behind front edge of occipital pit between tympanic spines; dorsal surface of occipital pit smooth, without spines; two (rarely one or three) spinous points at tip of upper opercular spine; posterior margin of maxilla extending slightly beyond a vertical through posterior margin of pupil; and caudal fin usually without distinct markings in preserved specimens. Additionally, the two species significantly differ in eight meristic and six morphometric features. Morphological changes with growth and geographic variation are also discussed.
A new species of small-sized scorpionfish, Scorpaena bulacephala, is described on the basis of seven specimens collected from off Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands, northern Tasman Sea, south- western Pacific Ocean, at depths of 86-113 m. The new species is closely related to a Hawaiian endemic species, S. colorata. The two species are distinguished from other Indo-Pacific species of Scorpaena by the following combination of characters: exposed cycloid scales covering the anteroventral surface of the body and pectoral-fin base, the lateral surface of the lacrimal without spines, and 17 pectoral-fin rays. The new species differs from S. colorata in having 39-44 longitu- dinal scales rows and relatively short fin spines and rays, especially short longest pectoral-fin ray (31.5-33.5% of standard length). Morphological changes with growth and sexual dimorphism of the new species are also discussed.
A new species of small-sized scorpionfish, Scorpaena cocosensis, is described on the basis of a single specimen collected from off Nuez Island, Cocos Islands, Costa Rica, eastern Pacific Ocean. The new species is similar to two eastern Pacific species of Scorpaena, Scorpaena russula and Scorpaena sonorae, in overall body appearance and in lacking a supplemental preopercular spine. However, it is distinguished from these two species by the following characters: eight dorsal-fin soft rays; well-exposed scales covering anteroventral body surface; interorbital ridges well developed, be- ginning just behind nasal spines, diverging anteriorly and posteriorly in dorsal view; lateral margins of frontal diverging posteriorly in dorsal view; upper posttemporal spine directed upward; posterior margin of maxilla just reaching level with posterior margin of pupil; posterior tip of pectoral fin reaching level with origin of third dorsal-fin soft ray; large head length (48.8% SL); large orbit diameter (16.9% SL); wide interorbital space between supraocular spine bases (9.2% SL).
Scorpaena canariensis (Sauvage, 1878), which has to date only been known from the holo- type, is redescribed on the basis of the holotype and three newly-collected specimens. In ad- dition, Pontinus leda Eschmeyer, 1969, which has to date only been known from the equator south to South Africa, is reported on the basis of three specimens collected from off Guinea- Bissau. The Guinea-Bissau specimens represent the first reliable record from the Northern Hemisphere and a range extension of approximately 3000 km from the previously northern- most record of the species. The previously recognized taxonomic characters of both species
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