Neomerinthe erostris ( Alcock 1896 )

Motomura, Hiroyuki, Causse, Romain, Béarez, Philippe & Mishra, Subhrendu Sekhar, 2015, Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), Neomerinthe erostris (Alcock 1896), a senior synonym of Scorpaena gibbifrons Fowler 1938, N. rotunda Chen 1981, and N. bathyperimensis Zajonz & Klausewitz 2002, Zootaxa 4021 (4), pp. 529-540 : 530-536

Neomerinthe erostris ( Alcock 1896)

[English name: Round Scorpionfish] Figs. 1–2 ; Table 1

Scorpaena erostris Alcock 1896: 302 (type locality: southern Sri Lanka, 6°06'30" N, 81°23'00" E); Alcock 1898: pl. 18, fig. 6 (southern Sri Lanka).

Scorpaena gibbifrons Fowler 1938: 58 , fig. 23 (type locality: off Cabugan Grande I., Surigao Strait, Philippines, 10°27'30" N, 125°18'00" E, RV Albatross, st. D.5482); Herre 1952: 396 ( Philippines); Poss 1999: 2304, 2335 ( Philippines).

Neomerinthe rotunda Chen 1981: 53 , figs. 22, 47 (type locality: off Kaohsiung, Taiwan); Rivaton 1989: 148 ( New Caledonia); Poss & Duhamel 1991: 101 ( Taiwan); Ni & Kwok 1999: 137 ( Hong Kong); Poss 1999: 2305, 2323 ( Taiwan, Chesterfield Bank, and New Caledonia); Zajonz & Klausewitz 2002:1485 ( Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, southern Indonesia, Chesterfield Is., and New Caledonia); Motomura et al. 2011a: 61 ( Madagascar, Réunion, Solomon Is., Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna Is.); Fricke et al. 2011: 377 ( New Caledonia).

Neomerinthe bathyperimensis Zajonz & Klausewitz 2002: 1482 , figs. 1–2, 3a (type locality: Strait of Perim, northwest of Perim I., Yemen, southern Red Sea, 12°43.7' N, 43°15.0' E, MINDIK-Expedition station 230); Golani & Bogorodsky 2010: 21 (Red Sea).

Lectotype. ZSI-F 12977, 46.9 mm SL, southern Sri Lanka, 06°06'30" N, 81°23'00" E, Investigator st. 59, ca. 62 or 77 m depth (34 or 42 fathoms).

Paralectotype. ZSI-F 12978, 59.6 mm SL, collected with the lectotype.

Other type material. USNM 98900, holotype of Scorpaena gibbifrons , 68.6 mm SL, off Cabugan Grande Island, vicinity of Surigao Strait (given as Sungao Strait by Fowler 1938), Philippines, 10°27'30" N, 125°18'00" E, ca. 123 m depth (67 fathoms), RV Albatross, 30 July 1909; CAS 42139, holotype of Neomerinthe rotunda , 87.4 mm SL, off Kaohsiung, Taiwan, L. Chen, 15 July 1978; CAS 42140, paratype of Neomerinthe rotunda , 61.7 mm SL, collected with holotype; CAS 42155, paratype of Neomerinthe rotunda , 82.2 mm SL, Strait of Taiwan, about 60 m, F. Steiner, Feb. 1972; SMF 29278, holotype of Neomerinthe bathyperimensis , 64.7 mm SL, Strait of Perim, northwest of Perim I., Yemen, southern Red Sea, 12°43.7' N, 43°15.0' E, MINDIK-Expedition st. 230, 228– 235 m, RV Meteor, 5 Mar. 1987.

Non-type material. 60 specimens, 20.0–116.0 mm SL. KAUM –I. 39181, 51.8 mm SL, KAUM –I. 39182, 55.0 mm SL, off Kaohsiung, Taiwan; MNHN 1988-1528, 77.2 mm SL, northwest of Madagascar, 15°21'07" S, 46°12'07" E, 90–130 m, RV Vauban, 8 Nov. 1972; MNHN 1991-0752, 68.6 mm SL, off Réunion, 21°04'58" S; 55°12'00" E, 97–110 m, Md32/reunion cruise, RV Marion-Dufresne, 22 Aug. 1982; MNHN 1995-0742, 3 specimens, 49.4–66.7 mm SL, off Wallis and Futuna Islands, 14°18 S, 178°03 E, Musorstom 7 cruise, RV Alis, May 1992; MNHN 1998-0058, 7, 38.2–59.1 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°37'58" S, 167°03'00" E, 161–182 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 11 Oct. 1994; MNHN 1998-0064, 6, 34.6–53.1 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°37'58" S, 167°03'00" E, 140–175 m, RV Alis, 11 Oct. 1994; MNHN 1998-0078, 10, 38.3–65.4 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°37'58" S, 167°03'00" E, 174–210 m, RV Alis, 11 Oct. 1994; MNHN 1998-0079, 43.6 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 20°18'00" S, 169°52'58" E, 252–310 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 20 Sept. 1994; MNHN 1998-0080, 29.2 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 17°52'01" S, 168°30'00"E, 180–190 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 29 Sept. 1994; MNHN 1998-0206, 68.3 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°40'01" S, 167°01'58" E, 282–375 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 11 Oct. 1994; MNHN 1998-0212, 53.7 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°04'01" S, 167°10'01" E, 277–285 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 7 Oct. 1994; MNHN 1998-0217, 5, 40.0– 56.7 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°49'58" S, 167°16'58" E, 207–280 m, Musorstom 8 cruise, RV Alis, 5 Oct. 1994; MNHN 2004-0051, 33.8 mm SL, southwest of Madagascar, 22°07'58" S, 43°07'58" E, 120–130 m, RV FA O 6 0, 5 June 1973; MNHN 2004-0056, 2, 95.8–116.0 mm SL, south of Madagascar, 25°54'00" S, 44°36'00" E, 140–180 m, RV FA O 6 0, 1 June 1973; MNHN 2004-1627, 48.2 mm SL, south of Mindoro Island, Philippines, 12°03'00" N, 121°28'58" E, 120–123 m, Musorstom 3 cruise, RV Coriolis, 4 June 1985; MNHN 2005-2591, 58.0 mm SL, southeast of New Caledonia, 23°16'58" S, 168°04'01" E, 300–315 m, SMIB 5 cruise, RV Alis, 14 Sept. 1989; MNHN 2005-2596, 64.0 mm SL, south of New Caledonia, 24°54'00" S, 168°21'00" E, 505 m, SMIB 3 cruise, RV Vauban, 21 May 1987; MNHN 2006-0107, 55.7 mm SL, off Gizo, Solomon Islands, 08°03'18" S, 156°59'13"E, 185–196 m, Solomon 2 cruise, RV Alis, 3 Nov. 2004; MNHN 2008- 1274, 42.7 mm SL, MNHN 2008-1275, 37.3 mm SL, MNHN 2008-1277, 53.6 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°39'54" S, 167°03'46" E, 114–132 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 15 Sept. 2006; off Vanuatu, 15°39'54" S, 167°03'46" E, 114– 132 m, RV Alis, 15 Sept. 2006; MNHN 2008-1434, 2, 20.0– 21.5 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°37'19" S, 167°09'36" E, 52–66 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 10 Oct. 2006; MNHN 2008-1481, 40.0 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°32'34" S, 167°15'43" E, 114–196 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 12 Oct. 2006; MNHN 2008-1526, 2, 31.6–36.2 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°36'28" S, 167°02'16"E, 71–122 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 19 Oct. 2006; MNHN 2008-1629, 2, 28.2–48.5 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 15°32'52" S, 167°16'12" E, 153–196 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 18 Oct. 2006; MNHN 2008-1660, 32.0 mm SL, off Vanuatu, 16°24'25" S, 167°48'10" E, 60–197 m, Santo 0 6 cruise, RV Alis, 21 Oct. 2006; MNHN 2010-0948, 2, 37.6–40.6 mm SL, Wallis and Futuna Islands, 14°19'04" S, 178°04'04" E, 245– 440 m, Musorstom 7 cruise, RV Alis, 11 May 1992.

Diagnosis. A species of Neomerinthe with the following characters: dorsal-fin soft rays 8 or 9 (usually 9); pectoral-fin rays 17–19 (18); scale rows in longitudinal series 33–41 (mode 37); pored lateral-line scales 23–25 (24); scale rows above lateral line 5–8 (6), below lateral line 9–12 (11); scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4–6 (5); scale rows between sixth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4–6 (5); gill rakers 14– 21 (17); lateral surface of maxilla with distinct longitudinal ridge; lateral lacrimal spine absent; 3 suborbital spines; distinct second preopercular spine present; posterior margin of maxilla reaching or extending beyond vertical through posterior margin of orbit; minute slit behind last gill arch; dorsal profile of head strongly rounded; eye large, orbit diameter greater than snout length.

Description. Meristics and morphometrics of N. erostris are given in Table 1. Data for the lectotype are presented first, followed by other specimen data (if different) in parentheses. Descriptions of fin structures are based on non-type specimens since the fins are damaged in type specimens, including the lectotype.

Fourth dorsal-fin spine longest, its length longer than upper-jaw length; fifth to eleventh spines progressively shorter; membrane of spinous portion of dorsal fin moderately notched. Second anal-fin spine longest, its length subequal to upper-jaw length. Pectoral fin with 1–6 upper rays and 8–12 lower rays unbranched, remaining 2–8 middle rays branched; eleventh or twelfth ray longest, its length less than head length; lower unbranched rays not thickened. All pelvic-fin soft rays branched; second soft ray longest, its length slightly greater than upper-jaw length; last soft ray joined by membrane to abdomen for less than half its length. Gill rakers relatively short and spinous; length of longest raker on first gill arch approximately equal to that of gill filaments around angle of gill arch; minute slit behind last gill arch. Swimbladder absent. Vertebrae 24. Formula for configuration of anterior neural spines and anterior dorsal pterygiophores //2+1/1/1/1/. Hypurals 1 and 2 fused.

Body moderately compressed anteriorly, progressively more compressed posteriorly. Nape and anterior body arched. Body depth relatively deep, but slightly less than head length. Tentacles on posterior ends of bases of most head spines. Short, broad tentacle, with several short branches distally, on posterior edge of low membranous tube associated with anterior nostril. Posterior lacrimal spine tentacle linked posteriorly to head by skin. No tentacles on eye membrane, anterior margin of lower snout in anterior view, cheek, maxilla, lips, underside of lower jaw, opercle, mid-interorbital space, and occiput. No tentacles on lateral surface of trunk, except for several slender tentacles associated with pored lateral-line scales. Pectoral-fin axil without skin flaps.

Well-exposed ctenoid scales covering posterior half of lateral surface of head, including cheek, behind eye, opercle, and an area surrounded by parietal, nuchal, pterotic and lower posttemporal spines. Well-exposed ctenoid scales on lateral surface of trunk, on abdomen and pectoral-fin base, and ventral surface of trunk. Exposed ctenoid scales covering entire occiput. Body scales not extending onto rays or membranes of fins, except basally on pectoral and caudal fins. Lateral line sloping steeply downward above anterior half of pectoral fin. Underside of dentary with 3 well-developed, large sensory pores on each side, first pore below anterior ridge of lacrimal, second pore below tip of anterior lacrimal spine, third pore located on posterior margin of dentary; pores larger than anterior nostril diameter. Pair of small pores behind symphysial knob of lower jaw in ventral view. Indistinct pore on each side of symphysial knob in ventral view.

Mouth large, slightly oblique, forming angle of about 20° to horizontal axis of body. Posterior margin of maxilla just reaching to (or extending slightly beyond) vertical through posterior margin of orbit. Distinct longitudinal ridge on lateral surface of maxilla; upper posterior edge of maxilla swollen laterally, forming low ridge. Lower jaw with symphysial knob. Width of symphysial gap separating premaxillary teeth bands slightly wider than width of each band. Upper jaw with band of short, conical teeth, tips of teeth pointed. Tooth band of upper jaw slightly narrower than that of lower jaw. Lower jaw with a band of villiform teeth; lengths of most teeth less than those of upper jaw. Small teeth on vomer and palatines. Underside of lower jaw without ridges.

Dorsal profile of snout steep, forming an angle of about 50° to horizontal axis of body. Nasal spine simple, sharp, conical, directed dorsally, its length greater than anterior nostril diameter. Ascending process of premaxilla not intruding into interorbital space, its posterior margin extending beyond level of anterior margin of posterior nostril in dorsal view, but not extending beyond posterior margin of posterior nostril. Median interorbital ridge absent. Interorbital ridges well developed, separated by moderately deep channel, beginning posterior to nasal spines and ending near tympanic spine base (ridges rarely connecting to bases of tympanic spines); interorbital ridges not conjoined to each other, diverging anteriorly and posteriorly in dorsal view, distance between ridges narrowest at the vertical through anterior margin of pupil. Interorbital space relatively shallow, about one-tenth of orbit extending above dorsal profile of head. Preocular spine simple, directed dorsoposteriorly; tip of spine extending slightly beyond (or reaching) level with upper margin of pupil in lateral view; flattened anteriorly and posteriorly; anterior surface of spine without median vertical ridge. Supraocular spine simple, its tip just reaching vertical midline through eye in lateral view; its length slightly shorter than that of postocular spines. Postocular spine simple, not strongly canted laterally; base wider than tympanic spine base, not joined to interorbital ridge or tympanic spine base. Tympanic spine simple, strongly pointed, directed dorsoposteriorly, with narrow base; base not joining to interorbital ridge or parietal spine base. Interorbital, coronal and pretympanic spines absent. Occiput nearly flat, slightly convex centrally; no transverse ridge anterior or posterior to occiput. Occiput surrounded laterally by postocular, tympanic and parietal spines; no ridges in lateral sides of occiput in dorsal view. Parietal spine simple, its base length longer than length of lower posttemporal spine base. Nuchal spine simple, well developed; its tip strongly pointed; nuchal and parietal spines joined at base (rarely not joined). Sphenotic and postorbital with several spines (or postorbital without spines). Pterotic spine simple, located below parietal spine.

TABLE 1. Meristics and morphometrics of specimens of Neomerinthe erostris , including type specimens of Scorpaena erostris , Scorpaena gibbifrons , Neomerinthe rotunda , and Neomerinthe bathyperimensis .

Scorpaena erostris Scorpaena Neomerinthe Neomerinthe Neomerinthe erostris

gibbifrons rotunda bathyperimensis

Lectotype Paralectotype Holotype Holotype Holotype Non-types

ZSI-F 12977 ZSI-F 12978 USNM 98900 CAS 42139 SMF 29278 n = 60 Standard length (mm) 46.9 59.6 68.6 87.4 64.7 20.0–116.0 Meristics Modes Dorsal-fin rays XII, 9 XII, 9 XII, 9 XII, 8 XII, 8 XII, 8– 9 XII, 9 ……continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Scorpaena erostris Scorpaena Neomerinthe Neomerinthe Neomerinthe erostris

gibbifrons rotunda bathyperimensis

Lectotype Paralectotype Holotype Holotype Holotype Non-types

Upper-jaw length 22.8 23.3 24.3 23.6 22.7 21.8–26.6 24.0 Maxillary depth 7.0 7.0 8.5 7.4 6.8 6.6–8.4 7.3 rakers on upper limb + on ceratohyal + on hypobranchial = total; 2at vertical midline of eye; 3at posterior end of preocular spine base.

No distinct ridge in an area surrounded by parietal, nuchal, pterotic and lower posttemporal spines. Upper posttemporal spine simple, pointed, small, directed dorsoposteriorly, its length much less than that of lower posttemporal spine. Lower posttemporal spine simple. Supracleithral spine simple, strongly pointed. Cleithral spine flattened, pointed without median ridge.

Lateral lacrimal spine absent. Lateral surface of lacrimal with 6 radiating elements; posteriorly directed furrow, medially concave, dorsal edge forming ridge; an anteroventrally directed element with strong median ridge, embedded in skin anteriorly, not forming spine; 2 ventrally directed ridges forming anterior and posterior lacrimal spines; other elements indistinct. Anterior lacrimal spine simple, directed ventrally, its tip extending beyond (or just reaching) dorsal margin of upper lip when mouth fully closed. Posterior lacrimal spine simple, directed posteroventrally, its tip not reaching upper lip; spine length approximately twice length of anterior lacrimal spine. Suborbital ridges with 3 spines; first spine, below posterior margin of pupil (or middle of pupil), on first ridge; second spine, extending beyond orbit, on second ridge; third spine, at end of suborbital ridge, on second ridge. Space between ventral margin of eye and suborbital ridge remarkably narrow. Suborbital pit indistinct (or absent). Preopercle with 5 spines; uppermost spine largest with supplemental preopercular spine on its base; second spine with low median ridge; third to fifth spines without median ridge. Preopercle, between uppermost preopercular spine and upper end of preopercle, without serrae or spines. Upper opercular spine simple, flat, without median ridge. Lower opercular spine simple with distinct median ridge. Space between upper and lower opercular spines without ridges. Posterior tips of upper and lower opercular spines not reaching opercular margin.

Origin of first dorsal-fin spine above supracleithral spine. Posterior margin of opercular membrane extending beyond vertical through fourth dorsal-fin spine base. Origin of pelvic-fin spine slightly anterior to base of first pectoral-fin ray. Origin of first anal-fin spine slightly posterior to origin of last dorsal-fin spine.

Color when fresh, based on color photographs of KAUM specimens: body strongly variegated, mainly brownish red, suffused with irregular gray, dark red, and reddish white blotches. Spinous portion of dorsal fin with indistinct, broad, longitudinal, gray band, with poorly defined black blotch posteriorly. Soft-rayed portion of dorsal fin, pectoral fin, and caudal fin with indistinct, irregular, small blotches scattered over entire fin. Pelvic fin reddish white, grayish distally. Anal fin grayish anteriorly, whitish posteriorly.

Color of preserved specimens: body and fins uniformly whitish, or dorsal body and fins mottled with indistinct grayish blotches.

Distribution. Widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean where N. erostris has been recorded from Madagascar, Réunion, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and the Wallis and Futuna Islands (this study). Based on specimens examined in this study, N. erostris has been recorded from depths of 52– 505 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Specimens of Neomerinthe erostris. A, lectotype of Scorpaena erostris (ZSI-F 12977, 46.9 mm SL); B, paralectotype of S. erostris (ZSI-F 12978, 59.6 mm SL); C, holotype of S. gibbifrons (USNM 98900, 68.6 mm SL, photo by S. Raredon); D, holotype of Neomerinthe rotunda (CAS 42139, 87.4 mm SL, photo by CAS); E, holotype of N. bathyperimensis (SMF 29278, 64.7 mm SL); F, fresh specimen of N. erostris (KAUM – I. 39181, 51.8 mm SL).

FIGURE 2. Lateral view of head of Neomerinthe erostris. USNM 98900, holotype of S. gibbifrons, 68.6 mm SL. Shaded area indicates areas covered with exposed scales.