New record of the flasher scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis macrochir Ogilby, 1910 (Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae) from Indian waters

Muddula Krishna  Naranji; Govinda Rao  Velamala; Sujatha  Kandula

doi:10.17017/j.fish.43

Muddula Krishna Naranji Department of Marine Living Resources, College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Govinda Rao Velamala Department of Marine Living Resources, College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sujatha Kandula Department of Marine Living Resources, College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India

Keywords: New record, flasher scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis macrochir, Scorpaenidae, India

Abstract

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 illustrations.

References

Allen GR and Russell BC (1986) Fishes of Rowley Shoals-Scott Reef. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement No. 25: 75–103.

Day F (1875–1878) The Fishes of India, London. XX+778., 108 pls. (Reprinted WM. Dawson & Sons, 1958).

Eschmeyer WN (1969) A new Scorpion fish of the genus Scorpaenodes and S. muciparus (Alcock) from the Indian ocean with comments on the limits of the genus. California Academy of Sciences 76: 1–11.

Froese R and Pauly D (Eds.) (2016) Fish Base. Version 04/2016. Retrieved from http://www.fishbase.org.

Motomura H and Shinohara G (2005) Assessment of taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtuse and S. gibbosa (Scorpaenidae), with first records of S. obtusa from Japan and Australia and comments on the synonymy of S. gibbosa. Cybium 29(3): 295–301.

Motomura H, Yoshino T and Takamura N (2004) Review of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaenopsis (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) in Japanese waters with threenew records and an assessment of standard Japanese names. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 51(2): 89–115.

Muddula Krisha N (2016) First record of raggy scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis venosa (Cuvier, 1829) (family: Scorpaenidae) from Visakhapatnam, Central Eastern Coast of India. International Journal of Zoology Studies 1(5): 25–27.

Myers RF (1999) Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. 330 pp.

Naranji MK and Velamala GR (2016) First record of Rama-Rao’s scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis ramaraoii Randall and Eschmeyer, 2001 (Scorpaenidae) from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Coast, India. Fish Taxa 1(6): 84–88.

Nelson JS, Grande TC and Wilson MVH (2016) Fishes of the World, 5th Edition. John Wiley & Sons. 752 pp.

Randall JE and Eschmeyer WN (2001) Revision of the Indo-Pacific scorpionfish genus Scorpaenopsis with descriptions of eight new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 34: 1–79.

Ray D, Mishra SS and Mohapatra A (2015) Proceedings of the Zoological Society 68: 199. doi: 10.1007/s12595-014-0099-2.

Russell F (1803) Description and figures of two hundred fishes collected at Vizagapatam on the coast of Coramandel. W. Bulmer & Co., London 2: 85.

Sadovy Y and Cornish AS (2000) Reef fishes of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. 318 pp.

Seale A (1906) Fishes of the South Pacific. Occasional Papers B.P. Bishop Museum 4(1): 1–89.