149.20 Rhinopias frondosa
(Gunther, 1891)
PLATE 28
Popeyed scorpionfish
Peuloog-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena frondosa Gunther, 1891: 482, PI. 39 (Mauritius). Rhinopias
frondosa: Smith,1957: 62*; 1966: 74*; Eschmeyer et aI., 1973: 295*.
D XII,9; A III,5; P 16; LSS 70-75. Body compressed, deep; eye set high
on head; snout long, depressed before eye.
Attains 23 cm. Off Durban, north along African coast
and east to Japan and Caroline Ids.; rare.
149.20 Rhinopias frondosa: 5 em (off Durban).
Genus Scorpaena Linnaeus, 1758
Body stout; chest naked. Resembles Sebastapistes, Scorpaenopsis and Parascorpaena, but they have the prepelvic
area with obvious scales. About 25 species, but only 1 in our
area; more common in Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
149.21 Scorpaena scrofa
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATES 27 & 28
Bigscale scorpionfish
Grootskub-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena scrofa Linnaeus, 1758: 266 (Mediterranean); Smith, 1957:
51*; Smith, 1961: 571, No. 1040; Eschmeyer, 1969: 69*. Scorpaena natalensis
Regan, 1906: 5, PI. 5 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No. 1040*.
D XII,9; A III,5; P 18-20; LSS about 45. Pit on midline behind eyes.
Dark spot often present on spinous D. Attains about 30
cm. Algoa Bay to off Natal in about 55 - 90 m. South African
149.21 Scorpaena scrota: 20.5 em (off Algoa Bay).
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
species thought to be the same as population in Mediterranean and eastern North Atlantic.
Genus Scorpaenodes Bleeker, 1857
Small fishes with 13 short D spines and D soft-rays 8-10;
A normally III,S; last D & A rays double. P 15-20, some
rays branched. Scales ctenoid. See Eschmeyer (1969) for
generic synonyms. Worldwide in tropical areas, most are
found on reefs. About 15 species in Indian Ocean, 8 in our
area. Some deep-living Indian Ocean species not yet reported from our area are treated by Eschmeyer & Rama
Rao (1972).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Middle P rays abruptly longer than those above; nasal spine
absent ...................................... 2
1 b P wedge-shaped; nasal spine normally present . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2a Usually 15 P rays and 8 D soft-rays; LSS about 30
(count made 1 or 2 rows above LL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. minor
2b Usually 16 P rays and 9 D soft-rays; about 40 LSS .... S. albaiensis
3a LSS 29-35; D soft-rays usually 8 ...................... 4
3b LSS 38-50; D soft-rays usually 9 ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4a P 17-18; 4 spines in row below eye, plus extra spine
below main ridge ......................... S. hirsutus
4b P 18-20, 3 spines on ridge below eye ............. S. kelloggi
5a At least 5 spines on ridge below eye, and often 10
or more; small skin flaps on body and heavily scaled,
giving "furry" appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S. parvipinnis
5b 3 or fewer spines in row under eye; few or no skin
flaps on body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6a A dark spot on lower cheek area (suboperc\e) ....... S. littoralis
6b No dark spot on lower cheek area ..................... 7
7a Dark spot on rear of spinous D; triangular dark
mark on P; sometimes a dark area on upper cheek
area (operc\e) ........................... S. varipinnis
7b No dark spot on rear of spinous D; no dark mark on P;
usually a prominent dark area on operc\e ... . . . .. S. guamensis
149.22 Scorpaenodes albaiensis
(Evermann & Seale, 1907)
Longfingered scorpionfish
Langvinger-skerpioenvis
Hypomacrus albaiensis Evermann & Seale, 1907: 102, Fig. 20 (Philippines); Smith, 1957: 68*; 1957: 397*. Hypomacrus africanus Smith, 1958:
178 (Zanzibar); 1961: 571, No. 1045a.
D XIII-XIV,9-10; P 16-17; LSS 40-43.
Attains about 8 cm. Bazaruto north in western Indian
Ocean; scattered localities in western Pacific. Rare. On
reefs.
471
(Gunther, 1891)
PLATE 28
Popeyed scorpionfish
Peuloog-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena frondosa Gunther, 1891: 482, PI. 39 (Mauritius). Rhinopias
frondosa: Smith,1957: 62*; 1966: 74*; Eschmeyer et aI., 1973: 295*.
D XII,9; A III,5; P 16; LSS 70-75. Body compressed, deep; eye set high
on head; snout long, depressed before eye.
Attains 23 cm. Off Durban, north along African coast
and east to Japan and Caroline Ids.; rare.
149.20 Rhinopias frondosa: 5 em (off Durban).
Genus Scorpaena Linnaeus, 1758
Body stout; chest naked. Resembles Sebastapistes, Scorpaenopsis and Parascorpaena, but they have the prepelvic
area with obvious scales. About 25 species, but only 1 in our
area; more common in Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
149.21 Scorpaena scrofa
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATES 27 & 28
Bigscale scorpionfish
Grootskub-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena scrofa Linnaeus, 1758: 266 (Mediterranean); Smith, 1957:
51*; Smith, 1961: 571, No. 1040; Eschmeyer, 1969: 69*. Scorpaena natalensis
Regan, 1906: 5, PI. 5 (Natal); Smith, SFSA No. 1040*.
D XII,9; A III,5; P 18-20; LSS about 45. Pit on midline behind eyes.
Dark spot often present on spinous D. Attains about 30
cm. Algoa Bay to off Natal in about 55 - 90 m. South African
149.21 Scorpaena scrota: 20.5 em (off Algoa Bay).
149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
species thought to be the same as population in Mediterranean and eastern North Atlantic.
Genus Scorpaenodes Bleeker, 1857
Small fishes with 13 short D spines and D soft-rays 8-10;
A normally III,S; last D & A rays double. P 15-20, some
rays branched. Scales ctenoid. See Eschmeyer (1969) for
generic synonyms. Worldwide in tropical areas, most are
found on reefs. About 15 species in Indian Ocean, 8 in our
area. Some deep-living Indian Ocean species not yet reported from our area are treated by Eschmeyer & Rama
Rao (1972).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Middle P rays abruptly longer than those above; nasal spine
absent ...................................... 2
1 b P wedge-shaped; nasal spine normally present . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2a Usually 15 P rays and 8 D soft-rays; LSS about 30
(count made 1 or 2 rows above LL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. minor
2b Usually 16 P rays and 9 D soft-rays; about 40 LSS .... S. albaiensis
3a LSS 29-35; D soft-rays usually 8 ...................... 4
3b LSS 38-50; D soft-rays usually 9 ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4a P 17-18; 4 spines in row below eye, plus extra spine
below main ridge ......................... S. hirsutus
4b P 18-20, 3 spines on ridge below eye ............. S. kelloggi
5a At least 5 spines on ridge below eye, and often 10
or more; small skin flaps on body and heavily scaled,
giving "furry" appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S. parvipinnis
5b 3 or fewer spines in row under eye; few or no skin
flaps on body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6a A dark spot on lower cheek area (suboperc\e) ....... S. littoralis
6b No dark spot on lower cheek area ..................... 7
7a Dark spot on rear of spinous D; triangular dark
mark on P; sometimes a dark area on upper cheek
area (operc\e) ........................... S. varipinnis
7b No dark spot on rear of spinous D; no dark mark on P;
usually a prominent dark area on operc\e ... . . . .. S. guamensis
149.22 Scorpaenodes albaiensis
(Evermann & Seale, 1907)
Longfingered scorpionfish
Langvinger-skerpioenvis
Hypomacrus albaiensis Evermann & Seale, 1907: 102, Fig. 20 (Philippines); Smith, 1957: 68*; 1957: 397*. Hypomacrus africanus Smith, 1958:
178 (Zanzibar); 1961: 571, No. 1045a.
D XIII-XIV,9-10; P 16-17; LSS 40-43.
Attains about 8 cm. Bazaruto north in western Indian
Ocean; scattered localities in western Pacific. Rare. On
reefs.
471