149.35 Scorpaenopsis sp.
Spinycrown scorpionfish
Stekelkroon-skerpioenvis
(To be described by Eschmeyer & Rama Rao, in press.)
D XII,9 ; A III ,S; P 17·18; LSS about 45·50. First 3 D spines increase in
length evenly , 1st about Yz 2nd. Only Scorpaenopsis with extra spines
above tympanic spines. Orbit equal to or slightly larger than snout length.
Attains 16 cm. Sodwana Bay northwards, throughout
Indo-Pacific.
149.35 Scorpaenopsis sp.: dorsal view of head of 9.S em SL specimen (off
Natal).
149.36 Scorpaenopsis venosa
(Cuvier,1829)
PLATE 25
Raggy scorpionfish
Lappies-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena venosa Cuvier, in Cuv . & Val., 1829: 317 (India). Scorpaena
durbanensis Gilchrist & Thompson , 1909: 236, PI. 4, Fig. 3 (off Durban) ;
Smith, SFSA No. 1040 (in part , synonymy) . Scorpaenopsis cirrhosa:
Smith , SFSA No. 1043*. Dendroscorpaena cirrhosa: Smith, 1961 : 571,
Nos. 1041 & 1043 (in part).
D XJI,9; A III ,S; P 16-18; LSS about 50. First 3 D spines increase in
length evenly. Ridges between eyes nearly straight, ending abruptly at
front edge of pit on top of head behind eyes.
Attains 18 cm. Durban northwards and scattered
localities in Indo-Pacific.
Genus Sebastapistes Gill, 1877
Dorsal normally XII ,9; A III,S; P 15-17. Scales ctenoid;
breast scaled. Lachrymal bone with 2-5 spines. Indo-West
Pacific, shallow water; 7 species, 4 in our area. Recently reviewed by Eschmeyer & Rama Rao (in press).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Coronal spines present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. mauritiana
1 b Coronal spines absent .. . .... .. ... . . . .. .... .... . . . 2
2a Two spines on lachrymal bone; a ridge
before lower opercular spine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S. strongia
2b Lachrymal bone with 3-5 spines ; lower opercular spine
prece'ded by scaled area, no ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3a Body with large pale areas .. ..... .. ... . ... S. cyanostigma
3b Body and rear fins with dark spots ....... . . . .. . S. tinkhami
149: ScORPAENIDAE (SCORPION FISHES)
149.37 Sebastapistes cyanostigma
(Bleeker, 1856)
PLATE 26
Yellowspotted scorpionfish Geelspikkel-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena cyanostigma Bleeker, 1856: 385, 400 (Indonesia). Scorpaena
albobrunnea Giinther, 1874: 77 (Pelew Ids.). Scorpaena kowiensis Smith,
1935: 224 (Port Alfred) ; ? SFSA No. 1039 (in part, not Fig.); 1957: 54* .
D XJI,9; A III,5-6; P 15-16; LSS 42-45. Usually 5 spines on lachrymal
bone.
No dark bars on underside of head. Large yellow spots
over most of body, also small white dots. Attains about 7
cm. Port Alfred northwards to Red Sea and east to central
Pacific. Coral reefs and rocky areas.
149.37 Sebastapistes cyanostigma: 8 em (S. Mozambique) and dorsal view of
head of 4.5 em holotype of S. kowiensis (Port Alfred).
149.38 Sebastapistes mauritiana: 9.5 em (Transkei) and dorsal view of head
of 6 em SL specimen (Natal).
475
Spinycrown scorpionfish
Stekelkroon-skerpioenvis
(To be described by Eschmeyer & Rama Rao, in press.)
D XII,9 ; A III ,S; P 17·18; LSS about 45·50. First 3 D spines increase in
length evenly , 1st about Yz 2nd. Only Scorpaenopsis with extra spines
above tympanic spines. Orbit equal to or slightly larger than snout length.
Attains 16 cm. Sodwana Bay northwards, throughout
Indo-Pacific.
149.35 Scorpaenopsis sp.: dorsal view of head of 9.S em SL specimen (off
Natal).
149.36 Scorpaenopsis venosa
(Cuvier,1829)
PLATE 25
Raggy scorpionfish
Lappies-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena venosa Cuvier, in Cuv . & Val., 1829: 317 (India). Scorpaena
durbanensis Gilchrist & Thompson , 1909: 236, PI. 4, Fig. 3 (off Durban) ;
Smith, SFSA No. 1040 (in part , synonymy) . Scorpaenopsis cirrhosa:
Smith , SFSA No. 1043*. Dendroscorpaena cirrhosa: Smith, 1961 : 571,
Nos. 1041 & 1043 (in part).
D XJI,9; A III ,S; P 16-18; LSS about 50. First 3 D spines increase in
length evenly. Ridges between eyes nearly straight, ending abruptly at
front edge of pit on top of head behind eyes.
Attains 18 cm. Durban northwards and scattered
localities in Indo-Pacific.
Genus Sebastapistes Gill, 1877
Dorsal normally XII ,9; A III,S; P 15-17. Scales ctenoid;
breast scaled. Lachrymal bone with 2-5 spines. Indo-West
Pacific, shallow water; 7 species, 4 in our area. Recently reviewed by Eschmeyer & Rama Rao (in press).
KEY TO SPECIES
la Coronal spines present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. mauritiana
1 b Coronal spines absent .. . .... .. ... . . . .. .... .... . . . 2
2a Two spines on lachrymal bone; a ridge
before lower opercular spine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S. strongia
2b Lachrymal bone with 3-5 spines ; lower opercular spine
prece'ded by scaled area, no ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3a Body with large pale areas .. ..... .. ... . ... S. cyanostigma
3b Body and rear fins with dark spots ....... . . . .. . S. tinkhami
149: ScORPAENIDAE (SCORPION FISHES)
149.37 Sebastapistes cyanostigma
(Bleeker, 1856)
PLATE 26
Yellowspotted scorpionfish Geelspikkel-skerpioenvis
Scorpaena cyanostigma Bleeker, 1856: 385, 400 (Indonesia). Scorpaena
albobrunnea Giinther, 1874: 77 (Pelew Ids.). Scorpaena kowiensis Smith,
1935: 224 (Port Alfred) ; ? SFSA No. 1039 (in part, not Fig.); 1957: 54* .
D XJI,9; A III,5-6; P 15-16; LSS 42-45. Usually 5 spines on lachrymal
bone.
No dark bars on underside of head. Large yellow spots
over most of body, also small white dots. Attains about 7
cm. Port Alfred northwards to Red Sea and east to central
Pacific. Coral reefs and rocky areas.
149.37 Sebastapistes cyanostigma: 8 em (S. Mozambique) and dorsal view of
head of 4.5 em holotype of S. kowiensis (Port Alfred).
149.38 Sebastapistes mauritiana: 9.5 em (Transkei) and dorsal view of head
of 6 em SL specimen (Natal).
475