149: SCORPAENIDAE (SCORPIONFISHES)
6a P rays usually 18; 2nd A spine less than or
about equal to length of 3rd when spines are
depressed ...................... . . . ... S. brevifrons
6b Prays 16 (1 specimen known) ................. S. gilchristi
149.30 Scorpaenopsis brevifrons
Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975
Bigmouth scorpionfish
Grootmond-skerpioenvis
Scorpaenopsis brevifrons Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975: 299, Figs . 14-15
(Hawaii) .
D XII,9; A 1II ,5; P 17-19; LSS 40-45. First 3 D spines increase in length
evenly. Orbit diameter slightly larger than snout length. Lachrymal bone
with 3-4 spines over maxillary.
Attains 11 cm. Sodwana Bay, northward; also at scattered localities in Indo-Pacific; a separate population in
Hawaii. Coral and rocky areas from shore to 30 - 35 m.
149.30 Scorpaenopsis brevifrons: 10.5 em SL holotype (after Esehmeyer &
Randall, 1975).
149.31 Scorpaenopsis diabolus
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 28
False stonefish
Vals steenvis
Scorpaenopsis diabolus Cuvier, in Cuv . & Val., 1829: 312 (Pacific);
Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975: 305*. Scorpaenopsis gibbosa: Smith, SFSA
No. 1042 (in part; not fig.); 1957: 59* (in part) .
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 17-19; LSS 43-48. Snout longer than orbit diameter.
Width between eyes wider than orbit diameter.
Attains at least 22 cm. Xora northwards. Widespread in
Indo-West Pacific. Shallow coral and rocky areas.
149.32 Scorpaenopsis gibbosa
Bloch & Schneider, 1801
PLATE 26
Humpback scorpionfish
Boggel-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena gibbosa Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 192, PI. 44 (uncertain
locality). Scorpaena nesogallica Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 315
(Mauritius). Scorpaenopsis gibbosa: Smith, SFSA No. 1042* (in part);
1957: 59* (in part). Scorpaenopsis rosea (non Day): Smith, SFSA No.
1041*.
474
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 16-19; LSS about 45. Snout and interorbital width
about equal to orbit diameter.
Attains at least 10 cm. Transkei northwards; Indian
Ocean and Red Sea.
149.33 Scorpaenopsis gilchristi
(Smith, 1957)
Gilchrist's scorpionfish
Gilchrist se skerpioenvis
Dendroscorpaena gilchristi Smith, 1957: 61, Fig. 4 (off Tugela River, 14
fms); 1961: 571, No. 1043a.
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 16; LSS 34.
Attains 6 cm. Known only from 1 specimen.
149.33 Scorpaenopsis gifchristi: 7.5 em holotype (off Natal).
149.34 Scorpaenopsis oxycephala
Bleeker, 1849
Small scale scorpionfish
Kleinskub-skerpioenvis
Scorpaenopsis oxycephala Bleeker, 1849: 7 (Batavia); Eschmeyer &
Rama Rao (in press).
D XII,9; A III,5; P 19-20; LSS more than 60. First D spine short, 2nd
almost as long as 3rd and more than twice 1st. Orbit smaller than snout
length. A similar, small species with the same D spine lengths is known
from 1 specimen off Sodwana Bay and a few Indian Ocean localities. It has
17 P rays and LSS about 45.
Attains 30 cm. Sodwana Bay and scattered localities in
Indo-Pacific. Coral reefs and rocky areas, shore to 35 m.
149.34 Scorpaenopsis oxycephala: ea. 29.5 em type (after Bleeker, 1876).
6a P rays usually 18; 2nd A spine less than or
about equal to length of 3rd when spines are
depressed ...................... . . . ... S. brevifrons
6b Prays 16 (1 specimen known) ................. S. gilchristi
149.30 Scorpaenopsis brevifrons
Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975
Bigmouth scorpionfish
Grootmond-skerpioenvis
Scorpaenopsis brevifrons Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975: 299, Figs . 14-15
(Hawaii) .
D XII,9; A 1II ,5; P 17-19; LSS 40-45. First 3 D spines increase in length
evenly. Orbit diameter slightly larger than snout length. Lachrymal bone
with 3-4 spines over maxillary.
Attains 11 cm. Sodwana Bay, northward; also at scattered localities in Indo-Pacific; a separate population in
Hawaii. Coral and rocky areas from shore to 30 - 35 m.
149.30 Scorpaenopsis brevifrons: 10.5 em SL holotype (after Esehmeyer &
Randall, 1975).
149.31 Scorpaenopsis diabolus
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 28
False stonefish
Vals steenvis
Scorpaenopsis diabolus Cuvier, in Cuv . & Val., 1829: 312 (Pacific);
Eschmeyer & Randall, 1975: 305*. Scorpaenopsis gibbosa: Smith, SFSA
No. 1042 (in part; not fig.); 1957: 59* (in part) .
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 17-19; LSS 43-48. Snout longer than orbit diameter.
Width between eyes wider than orbit diameter.
Attains at least 22 cm. Xora northwards. Widespread in
Indo-West Pacific. Shallow coral and rocky areas.
149.32 Scorpaenopsis gibbosa
Bloch & Schneider, 1801
PLATE 26
Humpback scorpionfish
Boggel-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena gibbosa Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 192, PI. 44 (uncertain
locality). Scorpaena nesogallica Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 315
(Mauritius). Scorpaenopsis gibbosa: Smith, SFSA No. 1042* (in part);
1957: 59* (in part). Scorpaenopsis rosea (non Day): Smith, SFSA No.
1041*.
474
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 16-19; LSS about 45. Snout and interorbital width
about equal to orbit diameter.
Attains at least 10 cm. Transkei northwards; Indian
Ocean and Red Sea.
149.33 Scorpaenopsis gilchristi
(Smith, 1957)
Gilchrist's scorpionfish
Gilchrist se skerpioenvis
Dendroscorpaena gilchristi Smith, 1957: 61, Fig. 4 (off Tugela River, 14
fms); 1961: 571, No. 1043a.
D XII,9; A 1II,5; P 16; LSS 34.
Attains 6 cm. Known only from 1 specimen.
149.33 Scorpaenopsis gifchristi: 7.5 em holotype (off Natal).
149.34 Scorpaenopsis oxycephala
Bleeker, 1849
Small scale scorpionfish
Kleinskub-skerpioenvis
Scorpaenopsis oxycephala Bleeker, 1849: 7 (Batavia); Eschmeyer &
Rama Rao (in press).
D XII,9; A III,5; P 19-20; LSS more than 60. First D spine short, 2nd
almost as long as 3rd and more than twice 1st. Orbit smaller than snout
length. A similar, small species with the same D spine lengths is known
from 1 specimen off Sodwana Bay and a few Indian Ocean localities. It has
17 P rays and LSS about 45.
Attains 30 cm. Sodwana Bay and scattered localities in
Indo-Pacific. Coral reefs and rocky areas, shore to 35 m.
149.34 Scorpaenopsis oxycephala: ea. 29.5 em type (after Bleeker, 1876).