with scattered dark spots. Tentacle above eye usually long,
with dark bands. Attains about 20 cm. Natal northwards
and to central Pacific.
Devil firefish
149.8 Pterois miles
(Bennett, 1828)
PLATE 25
Duiwel-vuurvis
Scorpaena miles Bennett, 1828, PI. 9 (Ceylon). Pterois volitans (non
Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 1047*; 1957: 76*. Pterois miles: Smith, SFSA
No.1047a.
D XIII,9-11; A III,6; P 14 (rarely 13 or 15). Scales cycloid, small. In
adults, many spinules on bones below eye.
Reddish or tan to grey, with numerous thin dark bars on
body and head. Tentacle above eye occasionally faintly
banded. Attains at least 31 cm. Port Alfred northwards to
Red Sea and to eastern Indian Ocean. Pterois volitans
(Linnaeus), normally with 11 D soft-rays and larger spots
on median fins, is considered a separate species restricted to
the central and western Pacific.
149.8 Pterois miles: 23 em (Inhaea).
149.9 Pterois mombasae
(Smith, 1957)
PLATE 25
Deepwater firefish
Diepwater-vuurvis
Pteropterus mombasae Smith, 1957: 80, Fig. 7, PI. 6, Fig. D (Mombasal·
D XIII,lO; A III,6-7; P 18-20. Scales mostly ctenoid.
Upper l ' 2 of P with large dark spots on inner surface.
Mostly reddish brown, with alternating broad and thin dark
bars separated by white on body. Dark spot on cheek.
Tentacle above eye tiny to moderate, sometimes banded.
Attains at least 16 cm. Rare, apparently on deeper reefs off
Durban, Sri Lanka and New Guinea.
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
149.9 Pterois mombasae: 16 em holotype (Kenya).
Radial firefish
149.10 Pterois radiata
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 25
Straal-vuurvis
Pterois radiata Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 359 (Society Ids.); Smith,
1957: 79*.
D XII-XIII,II; A III ,5-6; P 16. Scales mostly ctenoid.
Reddish to brownish, with about 5-6 broad dark bars on
body, separated by pale lines; note horizontal dark area on
C peduncle. Attains about 20 cm. Sodwana Bay northwards
and to central Pacific.
149.10 Pterois radiata: 13 em (Zanzibar).
149.11 Pterois russell;;
Bennett, 1831
Plaintail firefish
Skoonstert-vuurvis
Pterois russellii Bennett, 1831: 128 (India); Smith, SFSA No. 1048*;
1957: 77*.
D XIII,lO-l1; A III,6-7; P 13. Scales cycloid.
Reddish, with numerous thin dark bars on body and
head. Few or no spines on bones below eye. Attains about
30 cm. Natal coast northward and to western Pacific.
467
with dark bands. Attains about 20 cm. Natal northwards
and to central Pacific.
Devil firefish
149.8 Pterois miles
(Bennett, 1828)
PLATE 25
Duiwel-vuurvis
Scorpaena miles Bennett, 1828, PI. 9 (Ceylon). Pterois volitans (non
Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 1047*; 1957: 76*. Pterois miles: Smith, SFSA
No.1047a.
D XIII,9-11; A III,6; P 14 (rarely 13 or 15). Scales cycloid, small. In
adults, many spinules on bones below eye.
Reddish or tan to grey, with numerous thin dark bars on
body and head. Tentacle above eye occasionally faintly
banded. Attains at least 31 cm. Port Alfred northwards to
Red Sea and to eastern Indian Ocean. Pterois volitans
(Linnaeus), normally with 11 D soft-rays and larger spots
on median fins, is considered a separate species restricted to
the central and western Pacific.
149.8 Pterois miles: 23 em (Inhaea).
149.9 Pterois mombasae
(Smith, 1957)
PLATE 25
Deepwater firefish
Diepwater-vuurvis
Pteropterus mombasae Smith, 1957: 80, Fig. 7, PI. 6, Fig. D (Mombasal·
D XIII,lO; A III,6-7; P 18-20. Scales mostly ctenoid.
Upper l ' 2 of P with large dark spots on inner surface.
Mostly reddish brown, with alternating broad and thin dark
bars separated by white on body. Dark spot on cheek.
Tentacle above eye tiny to moderate, sometimes banded.
Attains at least 16 cm. Rare, apparently on deeper reefs off
Durban, Sri Lanka and New Guinea.
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
149.9 Pterois mombasae: 16 em holotype (Kenya).
Radial firefish
149.10 Pterois radiata
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 25
Straal-vuurvis
Pterois radiata Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 359 (Society Ids.); Smith,
1957: 79*.
D XII-XIII,II; A III ,5-6; P 16. Scales mostly ctenoid.
Reddish to brownish, with about 5-6 broad dark bars on
body, separated by pale lines; note horizontal dark area on
C peduncle. Attains about 20 cm. Sodwana Bay northwards
and to central Pacific.
149.10 Pterois radiata: 13 em (Zanzibar).
149.11 Pterois russell;;
Bennett, 1831
Plaintail firefish
Skoonstert-vuurvis
Pterois russellii Bennett, 1831: 128 (India); Smith, SFSA No. 1048*;
1957: 77*.
D XIII,lO-l1; A III,6-7; P 13. Scales cycloid.
Reddish, with numerous thin dark bars on body and
head. Few or no spines on bones below eye. Attains about
30 cm. Natal coast northward and to western Pacific.
467