149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
and Sodwana Bay northwards, in shallow rocky areas; east
Africa to central Pacific.
Genus Phenacoscorpius Fowler, 1938
Body and head with ctenoid scales; LL incomplete, only
1 st 4-10 scales present. Probably worldwide in tropics; rare.
Three species; 1 in our area. Phenacoscorpius nebulosus
Smith (1958: 77) is a synonym of Sebastapistes strongia;
based on a specimen that had rear LL scales rubbed off.
Deep water.
149.17 Phenacoscorpius adenensis
Norman, 1939
Phenacoscorpius adenensis Norman, 1939: 94, Fig. 29 (Gulf of Aden);
Smith, 1957: 69* .
D XII,9; A III,S; P 17; LSS about 4S.
A rare deep-water species known from 32°S and near
Buffalo River, 480 - 550 m. Trawled.
149.17 Phenascorpius adenensis: 10 em holotype (after Norman, 1939).
Genus Pontinus Poey, 1860
Offshore species, with no branched Prays. D XII,9-1O.
About 20 species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la P 17-18, usually 18; (Atlantic Ocean) ............... P.leda
Ib P 16; (Indian Ocean) .. . .......... .. . . .. .. P. nigerimum
149.18 Pontinus leda
Eschmeyer, 1969
Speckled deepwater
Gespikkelde diepwaterscorpionfish
skerpioenvis
Pontinus leda Eschmeyer, 1969: 38, Fig. Sa (Gulf of Guinea); Penrith,
1980: 61* .
D XII,9; A III,4-S; P 17-18; LSS 40-47. Short tentacle above eye.
Head, body and fins reddish; irregular black specks on
dorsolateral parts of head and body, and on D and C.
Attains about 25 cm. Taken in trawls on the west coast as far
470
south as 18°45'S in 100 - 400 m; also northward to Gulf of
Guinea.
149.18 Pontinus leda: 13 em SL holotype (after Esehmeyer, 1969).
149.19 Pontinus nigerimum
Eschmeyer, 1983
Blacklash scorpionfish
Swartwimper-skerpioenvis
Pontinus nigerimum Eschmeyer, 1983: 1, Fig. 1 (off Natal).
D XII,9; A III,S; P 16; LSS about 45.
Colour in life probably mostly reddish. Note large tentacle above eye, with black lower portion. One specimen
known, off Natal in 146 m. Other species of Pontinus may
occur in western Indian Ocean; an undescribed species
from Mauritius has pale tentacles above the eye.
149.19 Pontinu5 nigerimum: 15.5 em holotype and head (off Natal).
Genus Rhinopias Gill, 1905
Body scales cycloid; head naked. Five species; 1 in our
area. Reviewed by Eschmeyer et al. (1973), 1 additional
species added by Conde (1977).
and Sodwana Bay northwards, in shallow rocky areas; east
Africa to central Pacific.
Genus Phenacoscorpius Fowler, 1938
Body and head with ctenoid scales; LL incomplete, only
1 st 4-10 scales present. Probably worldwide in tropics; rare.
Three species; 1 in our area. Phenacoscorpius nebulosus
Smith (1958: 77) is a synonym of Sebastapistes strongia;
based on a specimen that had rear LL scales rubbed off.
Deep water.
149.17 Phenacoscorpius adenensis
Norman, 1939
Phenacoscorpius adenensis Norman, 1939: 94, Fig. 29 (Gulf of Aden);
Smith, 1957: 69* .
D XII,9; A III,S; P 17; LSS about 4S.
A rare deep-water species known from 32°S and near
Buffalo River, 480 - 550 m. Trawled.
149.17 Phenascorpius adenensis: 10 em holotype (after Norman, 1939).
Genus Pontinus Poey, 1860
Offshore species, with no branched Prays. D XII,9-1O.
About 20 species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la P 17-18, usually 18; (Atlantic Ocean) ............... P.leda
Ib P 16; (Indian Ocean) .. . .......... .. . . .. .. P. nigerimum
149.18 Pontinus leda
Eschmeyer, 1969
Speckled deepwater
Gespikkelde diepwaterscorpionfish
skerpioenvis
Pontinus leda Eschmeyer, 1969: 38, Fig. Sa (Gulf of Guinea); Penrith,
1980: 61* .
D XII,9; A III,4-S; P 17-18; LSS 40-47. Short tentacle above eye.
Head, body and fins reddish; irregular black specks on
dorsolateral parts of head and body, and on D and C.
Attains about 25 cm. Taken in trawls on the west coast as far
470
south as 18°45'S in 100 - 400 m; also northward to Gulf of
Guinea.
149.18 Pontinus leda: 13 em SL holotype (after Esehmeyer, 1969).
149.19 Pontinus nigerimum
Eschmeyer, 1983
Blacklash scorpionfish
Swartwimper-skerpioenvis
Pontinus nigerimum Eschmeyer, 1983: 1, Fig. 1 (off Natal).
D XII,9; A III,S; P 16; LSS about 45.
Colour in life probably mostly reddish. Note large tentacle above eye, with black lower portion. One specimen
known, off Natal in 146 m. Other species of Pontinus may
occur in western Indian Ocean; an undescribed species
from Mauritius has pale tentacles above the eye.
149.19 Pontinu5 nigerimum: 15.5 em holotype and head (off Natal).
Genus Rhinopias Gill, 1905
Body scales cycloid; head naked. Five species; 1 in our
area. Reviewed by Eschmeyer et al. (1973), 1 additional
species added by Conde (1977).