4a Inside of P with irregular black spots on a pale
background .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. M. coccineus
4b Inside of P with pale spots on a dark background
M. dempsterae Eschmexer, Hallacher & Rama Rao, 1979
(Gulf of Oman and off western India)
149.3 Minous coccineus
Alcock, 1890
Onestick stingfish
Eenstok-steekvis
Minous coccineus Alcock, 1890: 428 (India); Minous superciliosus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 177 (South Africa); Smith, 1958: 175*. Minous
trachycephalus (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 1054*.
D X-XI,ll-12, total 21-23; A 11,9-10; P 12, lower ray free.
Note characteristic black spots on inside of P. Attains
about 10 cm. Taken in trawls at about 50 m from Durban
northwards; also in Red Sea, Arabian Sea and eastward to
Gulf of Thailand. M. monodactylus has black streaks on inside of P and long 1st D spine.
149.3 Minous coccineus: ca. 11.5 em (off Durban) and inside of pectoral fin.
Subfamily PTEROINAE
Body moderately compressed, scaled. Longest Prays
usually reaching past A. D spines normally 12 or 13, usually
longer than body depth. Indo-West Pacific to central
Pacific. Five genera, 3 in our area. Lovely aquarium fishes,
but their venomous fin spines can cause very painful
wounds.
KEY TO GENERA
1a All P rays unbranched .. :..................... Pterois
1 b Some upper P rays branched ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
2a D spines short, about equal to length of D
soft-rays and usually less than Yz body depth;
lower jaw with serrate ridges and scales ......... Brachypterois
(1 species, B serrulatus (Richardson, 1846) known from Gulf of Oman
to Philippines and Japan)
2b D spines long, longer than length of D soft-rays and usually
as long as body depth; lower jaw smooth and naked ......... 3
3a A III,S ........................... . .. Dendrochirus
3b A II-I1I,7-9 ................................... 4
4a Large, thin bony crest above eye (males); A spines 3;
P 15-18; no tentacle from lachrymal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ebosia
(2 species; E. falcata Eschmeyer & Rama Rao, 1977 known from
Kenya, Somalia and India)
4b A spines 2 in adults (3 in young); P 18-21; a long
tentacle from rear end of lachrymal . . . . . . . . . . . .. Parapterois
Genus Dendrochirus Swainson, 1839
Very similar to species of Pterois but with branched P
rays. At least 5 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Mid-D spines usually longer than body depth;
T-shaped (on its side) mark on C peduncle ..... . .... D. zebra
1b Mid-D spines about equal to or a little
shorter than body depth; no T-shaped
mark on C peduncle ................... D. brachypterus
149.4 Dendrochirus brachypterus
(Cuvier,1829)
PLATE 25
Shortfin turkeyfish
Kortvin-kalkoenvis
Pterois brachyptera Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 368 (no locality).
Dendrochirus brachypterus: Smith, SFSA No. 1050*; 1957: 82*.
D XIII,9-1O; A III,S; P 17-18.
Body reddish, with vague broad bars. Rows oflarge spots
form conspicuous bars on paired fins; median fins with
small dark spots. Attains about 15 cm. From Transkei
(32°S) northward to Red Sea and east to central Pacific.
149.4 Dendrochirus brachypterus: 9.5 em (Inhaea Id.).
465
background .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. M. coccineus
4b Inside of P with pale spots on a dark background
M. dempsterae Eschmexer, Hallacher & Rama Rao, 1979
(Gulf of Oman and off western India)
149.3 Minous coccineus
Alcock, 1890
Onestick stingfish
Eenstok-steekvis
Minous coccineus Alcock, 1890: 428 (India); Minous superciliosus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908: 177 (South Africa); Smith, 1958: 175*. Minous
trachycephalus (non Bleeker): Smith, SFSA No. 1054*.
D X-XI,ll-12, total 21-23; A 11,9-10; P 12, lower ray free.
Note characteristic black spots on inside of P. Attains
about 10 cm. Taken in trawls at about 50 m from Durban
northwards; also in Red Sea, Arabian Sea and eastward to
Gulf of Thailand. M. monodactylus has black streaks on inside of P and long 1st D spine.
149.3 Minous coccineus: ca. 11.5 em (off Durban) and inside of pectoral fin.
Subfamily PTEROINAE
Body moderately compressed, scaled. Longest Prays
usually reaching past A. D spines normally 12 or 13, usually
longer than body depth. Indo-West Pacific to central
Pacific. Five genera, 3 in our area. Lovely aquarium fishes,
but their venomous fin spines can cause very painful
wounds.
KEY TO GENERA
1a All P rays unbranched .. :..................... Pterois
1 b Some upper P rays branched ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
2a D spines short, about equal to length of D
soft-rays and usually less than Yz body depth;
lower jaw with serrate ridges and scales ......... Brachypterois
(1 species, B serrulatus (Richardson, 1846) known from Gulf of Oman
to Philippines and Japan)
2b D spines long, longer than length of D soft-rays and usually
as long as body depth; lower jaw smooth and naked ......... 3
3a A III,S ........................... . .. Dendrochirus
3b A II-I1I,7-9 ................................... 4
4a Large, thin bony crest above eye (males); A spines 3;
P 15-18; no tentacle from lachrymal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ebosia
(2 species; E. falcata Eschmeyer & Rama Rao, 1977 known from
Kenya, Somalia and India)
4b A spines 2 in adults (3 in young); P 18-21; a long
tentacle from rear end of lachrymal . . . . . . . . . . . .. Parapterois
Genus Dendrochirus Swainson, 1839
Very similar to species of Pterois but with branched P
rays. At least 5 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Mid-D spines usually longer than body depth;
T-shaped (on its side) mark on C peduncle ..... . .... D. zebra
1b Mid-D spines about equal to or a little
shorter than body depth; no T-shaped
mark on C peduncle ................... D. brachypterus
149.4 Dendrochirus brachypterus
(Cuvier,1829)
PLATE 25
Shortfin turkeyfish
Kortvin-kalkoenvis
Pterois brachyptera Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 368 (no locality).
Dendrochirus brachypterus: Smith, SFSA No. 1050*; 1957: 82*.
D XIII,9-1O; A III,S; P 17-18.
Body reddish, with vague broad bars. Rows oflarge spots
form conspicuous bars on paired fins; median fins with
small dark spots. Attains about 15 cm. From Transkei
(32°S) northward to Red Sea and east to central Pacific.
149.4 Dendrochirus brachypterus: 9.5 em (Inhaea Id.).
465