Scolopsis curite Cuvier, 1815

Russell, Barry C., Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Mal, Ahmad O., Bineesh, K. K. & Alpermann, Tilman J., 2022, The taxonomic identity of the monocle bream Scolopsis vosmeri species complex (Perciformes: Nemipteridae), with comments on molecular phylogenetic relationships within the genus Scolopsis, Zootaxa 5105 (4), pp. 501-538 : 518-523

Scolopsis curite Cuvier, 1815

Figures 8–10 , Table 1 .

New English name: Whitecheek monocle bream

Scolopsis curite Cuvier, 1815: 361 (available by indication to Russell 1803: 5, pl. 106, ‘Kurite’; original locality Vizagapatam [Visakhapatnam], Andhra Pradesh, India; type locality based on newly designated neotype: Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India).

Scolopsis kurite Cuvier, 1816: 280 (as a footnote — after Russell 1803: 5, pl. 106, ‘Kurite’) [a homonym of S. curite Cuvier, 1815 —use of c or k for the same letter in spelling of species name deemed to be identical ( ICZN 1999: Article 58.5)]— Rüppell 1828: 9, pl. 2, fig. 3 (Massawa, Eritrea, Red Sea).

Scolopsides kurita Cuvier, 1829: 178 (Vizagapatam [Visakhapatnam], India)—based on Russell 1803, pl. 106—Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1830: 331; Cuvier 1831: 159; Cuvier 1837: 113, misspelled kuriata; Cuvier 1838: 88.

Scolopsides ruppelii Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830: 332 (Massawa, Eritrea, Red Sea). [Spelled rupelii on p. 332 and ruppelii on p. xx—the latter more correct for Cuvier's spelling of ‘Ruppel’ on p. 332; a replacement name for Scolopsis kurite Rüppell (1828: 9) ].

Scolopsis japonicus (non Bloch)— Day 1865: 25.

Scolopsis vosmeri (non Bloch)— Day 1878: 87 (in part—pl. XXIII, fig. 1, 2); Klunzinger 1884: 33 (Red Sea); Bauchot et al. (1983: 14); Dor 1984: 146 (Red Sea, listed); Russell in Smith & Heemstra 1986: 601 ( South Africa); Russell 1990: 122 (in part); Randall 1995: 218 ( Oman); Heemstra & Heemstra 2004: 247 ( South Africa); Bogorodsky et al. 2014: 426 (Red Sea, off Jizan); Lips et al. 2016: 134 ( Djibouti); Golani & Fricke 2018: 95 (Red Sea, listed); Eagderi et al. 2019: 92 (Arabian Gulf, listed); Zajonz et al. 2019: 80 ( Socotra, listed); Jawad et al. 2021: 45 (Arabian Gulf, Iraq).

Scolopsis leucotaenia (non Bleeker)— Day 1878: 88, pl. XXIII, fig. 4 ( Bombay = Mumbai).

Scolopsis torquatus (non Cuvier)— Wongratana 1978: 31, fig. 7 (in part—Andaman Sea, Thailand); Psomadakis et al. 2015: 271, pl. XXIV, fig. 198 ( Pakistan).

Scolopsis sp. B — Russell et al. 2019: 596 (Indian Ocean); Psomadakis et al. 2019: 486 ( Myanmar).

Material examined (n=49, * = morphometric data not taken): RED SEA, Eritrea: MNHN 0000-7850, 97.3 mm SL, Massawa ; SMF 1326 , 102.0 mm SL, Massawa ; SMF 5478 2: 85.0– 91.5 mm SL, Massawa. Saudi Arabia : SMF 35054, 2 : 109.0–113.0 mm SL (tissue No. KAU12-784 & KAU12-785 ), off Jizan ; SMF 38238, 96.6 mm SL (tissue No. KAU14-518 ), off Jizan ; SMF 38239, 103.0 mm SL (tissue No. KAU14-519 ), off Jizan ; SMF 38240, 95.5 mm SL (tissue No. KAU14-520 ), off Jizan. Yemen : SMF 29652, 131.0 mm SL, Kamaran I., Uqban . ARABIAN GULF, Kuwait: SMF 29063*, 2: 125.5–126.0 mm SL ; SMF 29064, 120.5 mm SL. Saudi Arabia : SMF 29065, 2 : 119.7- 121.6 mm SL, Safwa fish market; Qatar : NTM S.17566-002, 159.9 mm SL, Dohar. United Arab Emirates : NTUM 10929 , 2 : 112.5 - 125.2 mm SL, Dubai, Deira fish market . SEA OF OMAN, Oman : BMNH 1887.11 .6.12, 119.7 mm SL, Muscat. INDIAN OCEAN, Kenya : SAIAB 96174 *, 2: 97.3-103.5 mm SL, Shimoni . USNM 228665 , 94.4 mm SL, Formosa Bay . Tanzania : SAIAB 80713 *, 76.4 mm SL, Tanga ; SAIAB 13987 *, 3: 79.8-96.3 mm SL, Zanzibar ; SAIAB 87070 *, 134.2 mm SL, Zanzibar, Malindi. Mozambique : SAIAB 3505 *, 78.7 mm SL, Inhambane ; SAIAB 13988 *, 13: 65.4-166.3 mm SL, Delagoa (= Maputo) Bay ; SAIAB 82203 *, 87.8 mm SL, off Beira ; SAIAB 191791 *, 2: 102.6-116.6 mm SL, Pemba Bay . South Africa : SAIAB 11660 , 2 : 120.5-148.8 mm SL, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban ; SAIAB 17194 * 161.2 mm SL, Natal ?; SAIAB 190795 *, 92.8 mm SL, KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Vidal. Pakistan : NTM S.17856-028, 125.4 mm SL, Karachi ; NTM S.17856-029, 141.4 mm SL, Karachi. India : AMS I.21013-009, 111.0 mm SL, Tamil Nadu, Madras (Chennai), BMNH 88.11 .6.12, 63.2 mm SL, Tamil Nadu, Madras ( Chennai ) , BPBM 27713 , 65.9 mm SL, Kerala, Vizhinjam ; ZSI / ANRC M/23687 (Neotype of Scolopsis curite ), 122.3 mm SL ( MT 603182 ), Tamil Nadu, Puducherry ; ZSI / ANRC M/ 23689, 106.7 mm SL, Tamil Nadu, Cuddalore Harbour ; ZSI / ANRC M/ 23690, 109.3 mm SL, Tamil Nadu, Cuddalore Harbour , ZSI / ANRC M/ 23691, 111.2 mm SL, Tamil Nadu, Cuddalore Harbour. Sri Lanka : NTM S.13158-004, 113.7 mm SL, Negombo ; NTM S.13160-013, 133.1 mm SL, Chilaw ; USNM 227609 , 155.0 mm SL, Wadge Banks ; USNM 227605, 127.9 mm SL, Trincomalee ; USNM 227606, 150.7 mm SL, Kalmunai . ANDAMAN SEA, Myanmar: NTM S.18023-001*, 107.4 mm SL (tissue No. 05020), Myiek Archipelago, Saw Mon Hiia ; NTM S.18024-002*, 99.9 mm SL (tissue No. A05025), Myiek Archipelago, Pyin Sa Bu I .

Diagnosis. A species of Scolopsis with the following combination of characters: head scaly except for subopercle which is naked with numerous small pores; scales on top of head reaching forward to between anterior nostrils and snout tip; lower margin of eye tangent to a line from snout tip to upper pectoral-fin base; suborbital with a large retrorse spine (a small antrorse spine also sometimes present on third infraorbital, immediately above suborbital spine); posterior margin of preopercle rugose, bearing one or two rows of short blunt spines along its length; second anal-fin spine longer and more robust than first or third anal-fin spines; most body scales, except for breast and caudal peduncle, with greenish yellow spot (spots darker in live fish); caudal peduncle usually yellowish; a broad white bar from nape onto operculum; suborbital with obscure, rectangular, white patch; white band beneath lateral line never present; upper limb of opercular margin blackish, lower limb reddish orange; upper base of pectoral fin with a small wedge-shaped dark spot; fins yellow.

Description. Counts and proportional measurements are provided in Table 1 .

Dorsal-fin rays X,9; anal-fin rays III,7; pectoral-fin rays 17-19 (usually 18-19); pelvic-fin rays I,5.

Body moderately deep, laterally compressed, depth 2.0– 2.6 in SL. Dorsal profile of head more convex than ventral contour, head length 2.7–3.3 in SL. Snout short, 3.0– 4.5 in HL. Eye moderately large, 2.3–3.3 in HL; lower margin of eye tangent to a line from snout tip to upper pectoral-fin base. Snout length about equal to or less than eye, 0.9–1.9 in eye diameter. Interorbital width 1.3–2.1 in eye diameter. Suborbital depth 1.7–3.9 in eye diameter; posterior margin of suborbital with a moderately large backwardly-directed spine at upper edge and series of welldeveloped serrations below this, lower edge smooth. A small antrorse spine on third infraorbital, just above suborbital spine (absent or poorly developed in smaller specimens). Posterior margin of preopercle coarsely denticulate with prominent serrae, lower edge smooth. Opercle with smooth, low bony ridge anteriorly, running parallel to edge of preopercle; posterior margin of opercle with a short flat spine just above level of upper base of pectoral fin. Exposed portions of posttemporal and supracleithrum with serrations. Teeth in jaws small, conical, curved, in 5-6 bands anteriorly, a single series laterally. Premaxilla and dentary smooth, a little fleshy. Gill rakers short and stubby, 9–12 on first arch.

Dorsal-fin membranes slightly incised, fourth and/or fifth spines longest. Second anal-fin spine longer and more robust than other two spines, its length 1.5–2.2 times that of first and 1.1–1.5 times that of third. Pectoral fins reaching to or little before of level of anus, 3.4–5.0 in SL. Pelvic fins moderately long, reaching to or beyond anus, sometimes extending to origin of anal-fin, 3.4–4.4 in SL. Caudal fin forked, lobes slightly rounded, lower lobe a little shorter than upper, or lobes equal.

Body covered with ctenoid scales; temporal region of head scaly, scales extending forward to about level of anterior nostrils; suborbital naked, with numerous small pores; scales on preopercle extending to margin, 3–4 (usually 3) rows behind eye, 5–8 (usually 8) transverse rows of scales on preopercle; lower limb of preopercle with 1–2 rows of embedded scales; opercle with 4–9 (usually 5) transverse rows of scales.

Lateral line with 39–45 (usually 42) pored scales, 3½–4 (usually 3½) transverse scale rows above lateral line, 12½–15½ (usually 14½) rows below. Vertebrae 22.

Largest specimen examined 160 mm SL, reported to 200 mm TL ( Randall 1995).

Color of live fish (based on underwater photographs, Fig. 8 ). Purplish to reddish brown, with a dark spot with greenish yellow tinge basally on each scale except for breast and caudal peduncle, shading to yellowish on caudal peduncle and whitish ventrally on abdomen; lateral line brown; head brown with a curving white bar from dorsally on postorbital head, broadening as it passes ventrally onto operculum; posterior edge of opercle above opercular spine black or dark brown, opercular membrane below opercular spine dull red; posterior edge of preopercle often yellowish; suborbital broadly whitish; eye red suffused with yellow blotch present dorsoanteriorly, indistinct dark brown bar through eye sometimes apparent; fins golden yellow, the spinous portion of dorsal fin purple distally; leading edge of pelvic fins pale blue; a small wedge-shaped black spot dorsally at base of pectoral fins.

Color of fresh specimens (based on photographs, Fig. 9 and 10C ). Similar to live colors but basal spot on body scales greenish yellow (indistinct in some specimens) and pale blue color of leading edge of pelvic fins is lost.

Molecular analysis. Scolopsis curite specimens from a wide collection range from the Red Sea to the southwestern Indian Ocean, the northern part of the Indian Ocean and to Indonesia (Bali) form a highly supported and well divergent monophyletic clade in the phylogenetic analysis of the partial mitochondrial COI gene ( Fig. 12 ). This clade had been termed Scolopsis sp. B in the Neighbour-Joining tree in Russell et al. (2019). The closest relative of S. curite is S. japonica , with which S. curite forms a close sister clade relationship. There is very little intra-specific genetic variation in S. curite for the sequence of the COI barcoding region.

Habitat and distribution. Scolopsis curite inhabits sand or mud bottoms near reefs or in open sand areas in turbid waters from depths of 1–45 m and is usually observed underwater solitary or in pairs. It occurs in the Indian Ocean, from the Arabian/Persian Gulf and Red Sea south to South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) and Madagascar, eastwards throughout the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea. In the Red Sea the species is still unknown from the Gulf of Suez or Gulf of Aqaba ( Golani & Fricke 2018). Scolopsis curite does not appear to occur on the eastern side of the Indo-Malay Peninsula (the Sunda Shelf Barrier), where it is replaced by S. japonica , but further work is needed to determine the exact boundaries for these species.

Remarks. We regard Scolopsis curite to be the oldest available binomial name for Russell’s vernacular ‘Kurite’, and the type species of Scolopsis Cuvier, 1814 by subsequent monotypy. Cuvier’s (1816) subsequent spelling as kurite is a homonym of S. curite [use of c or k for the same letter in spelling of species name deemed to be identical— ICZN 1999: Article 58.5].

Russell’s (1803) description of ‘Kurite’ ( Fig. 10A ), “the head and back darkish red, with an intermixture of yellowish-green; the breast light colored; the belly white with a slight yellow cast; the fins of a golden yellow”, is sufficient to clearly distinguish it from S. vosmeri , which has distinctive white band below the lateral line, and black rather than yellowish green spots on the side, and fins that are dark red rather than golden yellow. However, in the interest of nomenclatural stability and to preserve the continued use of the genus Scolopsis in the family Nemipteridae (see Discussion under genus Scolopsis above), we here designate a neotype ( Fig. 10C ) for Scolopsis curite Cuvier , based on a specimen (ZSI/ANRC M/23687) collected from Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India; the collection locality Puducherry, becoming the type locality of S. curite ( ICZN1999: Article 76.3).

The name Scolopsides kurita Cuvier, 1829 was also based on Russell’s ‘Kurite’, and the subsequent account of this species (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1830: 331) was taken entirely from Russell’s (1803) figure and description of this fish from Vizagapatam (Visakhapatnam). Bauchot et al. (1983) considered Scolopsides kurita as preoccupied by Scolopsis kurite Rüppell, 1828 , but a one-letter difference between species-group names combined with the same generic name, in this case is sufficient to prevent homonymy ( ICZN 1999: Article 57.6), and kurite and kurita must each be regarded as valid species names.

Rüppell (1828: 9, pl. 2, fig. 3, reproduced here as Fig. 10B ) used the name Scolopsis kurite of Cuvier (1816) for specimens collected at Massawa, Red Sea. Although his figure does not clearly show a black wedge-shaped spot on the upper pectoral-fin base, examination of Rüppell’s specimens in the Senckenberg Museum (SMF 1326, SMF 5478) show traces of this mark and are clearly identifiable as Scolopsis curite . Dor (1984: 146) designated SMF 1326 as ‘lectotype’ and SMF 5468 (error for SMF 5478) as ‘paralectotype’, but as Rüppell did not propose Scolopsis kurite as a new species, these specimens cannot be considered as valid types.

Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes (1830: 332) believed Rüppell’s Scolopsis kurite to be different from Russell’s ‘Kurite’ and proposed the name Scolopsides ruppelii [spelled rupelii on p.332 and ruppelii on p. xx—the latter more correct for Cuvier’s spelling of Ruppel on p. xx and p.332; the emended spelling ruppellii of Kottelat (2013b: 350) not accepted by Eschmeyer et al. 2017] as a replacement for Rüppell’s species ( Bauchot et al. 1983: 14). Rüppell (1838: 126), however, regarded his specimens as identical with the ‘Kurite’ depicted by Russell (1803: Plate 104) and rejected Cuvier’s replacement name ruppelii . Dor (1984: 146) listed MNHN 0000-3047 (2 specimens) as ‘syntypes’ of ‘ Scolopsides rueppellii ’, but these are specimens of Scolopsis taeniatus and have no validity as types.

Day’s Scolopsis japonicus ( Day 1865: 25) and S. vosmeri ( Day 1878: 87 & pl. XXIII, 1 & 2) can be referred to S. curite .

The English common name Whitecheek monocle bream is proposed for this species.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Scolopsis curite, live individuals. A: south-western Madagascar; B: Alameh, Socotra. Photos by G.R. Allen (A), S.V. Bogorodsky (B).

FIGURE 9. Scolopsis curite, fresh specimens. A: SMF 34242 [KAU14-526], 115 mm SL, Jizan, Saudi Arabia; B: MUFS 33734, 120 mm SL, Oman. Photos by S.V. Bogorodsky (A), Y. Iwatsuki (B).

FIGURE 10. Scolopsis curite. A: ‘Kurite’ of Russell (1803: pl. 106); B: Scolopsis kurite from Rüppell (1828: pl. 2, fig. 3); C: Neotype of Scolopsis curite, ZSI/ANRC M/23687, 122.3 mm SL, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India, photo by B.C. Russell.

FIGURE 12. Maximum likelihood tree for species of Scolopsis based on publicly available partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene plus COI sequences generated in this study. Branch labels are bootstrap support values in percent obtained from 1.000 replicated analyses. Bar indicates the average number of nucleotide substitutions.