Parascorpaena picta ( Cuvier, 1829 )

Motomura, Hiroyuki, Sakurai, You, Senou, Hiroshi & Ho, Hsuan-Ching, 2009, Morphological comparisons of the Indo-West Pacific scorpionfish, Parascorpaena aurita, with a closely related species, P. picta, with first records of P. aurita from East Asia (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae), Zootaxa 2191, pp. 41-57 : 51-55

Parascorpaena picta ( Cuvier, 1829)

[English name: Painted Scorpionfish] ( Figs. 2 , 3 B, 4B, 5B, 6; Tables 1–2 )

Scorpaena picta Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829: 321 (type locality: Java, Indonesia).

Material examined. 70 specimens, 38.6–122.8 mm SL. MYAMMAR: SU 14664, 79.3 mm SL, Paya Island, Mergui Archipelago, RV Investigator , 25 Feb. 1914. THAILAND (PACIFIC OCEAN): CAS 41292, 84.1 mm SL, west of Mae Nam Chantaburi estuary, Aoa Kating Bay, Gulf of Thailand, 0–3.6 m, R. Robert et al., 24 Dec. 1957; CAS 41293, 3 specimens, 73.6–91.1 mm SL, ca. 121 km west of Bangkok–Sattahib Road, Gulf of Thailand, 12°58’N, 100°53’E, 0–3 m, R. Bolin and Ferber, 14 Feb. 1960; CAS 41295, 2 specimens, 87.4– 89.2 mm SL, south of mouth of Klong Kul, Rayong Province, Gulf of Thailand, 12°37’37”N, 101°27’05”E, 0–2 m, Pairojana et al., 26 Apr. 1960; CAS 41296, 3 specimens, 86.6–105.9 mm SL, southeast of boat basin at Ban Phe Fisheries Training Center, Rayong, Gulf of Thailand, Pairojana et al., 28 Apr. 1960; CAS 41297, 5 specimens, 78.7–99.0 mm SL, northeast end of Koh Kawtian, Chumphon Province, Gulf of Thailand, 10°25’29”N, 99°16’52”E, H. Fehlmann et al., 20 May 1960; CAS 41299, 2 specimens, 95.8–98.9 mm SL, east side of Koh Samet, Gulf of Thailand, 10°26’30”N, 99°17’47”E, 0–4 m, Song et al., 28 May 1960; CAS 54031, 104.2 mm SL, west shore of Koh Samet, Gulf of Thailand, 12°34’02”N, 101°27’04”E, 0–3 m, R. Bolin et al., 30 Jan. 1960; CAS 54032, 60.9 mm SL, Aangtong Bay, Koh Samui, Gulf of Thailand, 9°32’N, 99°56’E, 0.9–4.5 m, H. Fehlmann, 7 Nov. 1957; CAS 219690, 2 specimens, 85.1–98.4 mm SL, ca. 9 km southeast of Kau Matsee, Chumphon, Gulf of Thailand, 10°25’51”N, 99°15’46”E, 0–1.8 m, Pairojana et al., 27 May 1960; KAUM –I. 10320, 92.9 mm SL, same data as CAS 219690; KAUM –I. 10321, 85.4 mm SL, same data as CAS 41299; KAUM –I. 10322, 95.7 mm SL, same data as CAS 41299. MALAYSIA (PACIFIC OCEAN): SU 27880, 2 specimens, 74.8–81.5 mm SL, Sandakan, Sabah, A. Herre, 2 July 1929; Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah uncat., 2 specimens, 103.6–106.6 mm SL, Sepanggar Bay, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Desmond and Thia, 15 May 1998; FMNH 51819, 4 specimens, 86.9–108.5 mm SL, Kechil Island, off Pulo Bakkungaan, Sabah, 06°10’N, 118°07’E, R. Inger, 25 Aug. 1950; FMNH 51820, 86.1 mm SL, same data as FMNH 51819, except for 24 Aug. 1950; UMTF 966, 109.0 mm SL, Kuala Abang, Dungun, Terengganu, H. Anwar, Dec. 2007. SINGAPORE: SU 30878, 76.2 mm SL, Singapore, A. Herre, 15 Mar. 1934. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: WAM P. 28154-019, 1 of 4 specimens, 70.3 mm SL, east side of Daru, 09°05’S, 143°15’E, 0.1–0.4 m, G. Allen and D. Balloch, 19 Sep. 1983. AUSTRALIA: AMS IA. 1706, 96.4 mm SL, Cape Wessel, Northern Territory, 11°00’S, 136°46’E, W. Paradice, 1923; AMS IA. 3859, 68.4 mm SL, Port Darwin, Northern Territory, 12°27’S, 130°48’E, L. Wilson, 1929; AMS IA. 3976, 122.8 mm SL, Rat Island, Port Curtis, Queensland, 23°46’S, 151°19’E, W. Ward and W. Boardman, 1929; AMS IA. 5664, 95.0 mm SL, Hayman Island, Queensland, 20°03’S, 148°53’E, F. McNeill, Jan. 1933; AMS IA. 6088, 106.1 mm SL, Gladstone, Queensland, 23°51’S, 151°16’E, H. Randall, 1934; AMS IA. 6400, 97.6 mm SL, East Point, Darwin, Northern Territory, 12°25’S, 130°49’E, S. Morris, 9 Dec. 1934; AMS IA. 7802, 62.7 mm SL, Cape Keith, Melville Island, Northern Territory, 11°37’S, 131°29’E, M. Ward, 1938; AMS IB. 2964, 72.0 mm SL, Hayman Island, Queensland, 20°03’S, 148°53’E, F. McNeill, 1953; AMS I. 6094, 67.8 mm SL, Port Darwin, Northern Territory, 12°27’S, 130°48’E, Christie and Godfrey, 1903; AMS I. 6095, 63.7 mm SL, same data as AMS I. 6094; AMS I. 6118, 38.6 mm SL, Marpoon, Queensland, 11°58’S, 141°53’E, C. Hedley, 1903; AMS I. 10678, 121.5 mm SL, Dunk Island, Queensland, 17°57’S, 146°09’E, E. Banfield, 1910; AMS I. 18449-001, 83.3 mm SL, Leamouth, Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia, 22°10’S, 114°15’E, N. Coleman, 15 Aug. 1972; AMS I. 22072-026, 2, 94.9–100.9 mm SL, Fourmile Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland, 21°47’S, 149°26’E, 0–1 m, D. Hoese and H. Larson, 24 Sep. 1980; AMS I. 22708-016, 57.3 mm SL, Cape Tribulation, Queensland, 16°05’S, 145°28’E, 1 m, D. Hoese and R. Winterbottom, 28 Sep. 1981; AMS I. 34328-009, 86.8 mm SL, southwest of Cape Clinton, Queensland, 22°32’S, 150°47’E, 5–14 m, AMS party, 21 Sep. 1993; AMS I. 34344-002, 1 of 9 specimens, 90.5 mm SL, southernmost end of Freshwater Beach, Queensland, 22°38’S, 150°47’E, 2–4 m, AMS party, 26 Sep. 1993; BPBM 17388, 2 specimens, 59.1–110.1 mm SL, off Kendrew Island, Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia, 0.5 m, J. Randall and J. Hutchins, 13 Oct. 1973; CSIRO CA 3636, 81.2 mm SL, northwest of Forestier Island, Western Australia, 20°13’S, 117°36’E, 27–30 m, FRV Soela, 27 Jan. 1983; KAUM –I. 20694, 122.2 mm SL, north end of Supply Bay, Townshead Island, Queensland, 22°21’24”S, 150°28’53”E, 0–0.2 m, AMS party, 16 Sep. 1993; KAUM –I. 20695, 107.2 mm SL, same data as KAUM –I. 20694; USNM 174008, 75.4 mm SL, tide pool at Mightcliff, north of Darwin, Northern Territory, R. Miller; USNM 174010, 79.6 mm SL, Bartolombo Bay, Groote Eylandt, Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, R. Miller et al.; WAM P. 27006-003, 1 of 4 specimens, 106.2 mm SL, north of Bagara, Queensland, 24°46’S, 152°24’E, B. Hutchins, 4 Dec. 1980; WAM P. 29249-001, 80.2 mm SL, Port Headland, Western Australia, 20°17’S, 118°37’E, A. Kalnins, 3 May 1965; WAM P. 31239-004, 71.6 mm SL, Lamark Island, Kimberley, Western Australia, 14°46’S, 125°01’E, 0.5 m, S. Morrison, 25 Nov. 1996; WAM P. 31251-008, 3 specimens, 46.1–100.8 mm SL, Montgomery Reef, Western Australia, 15°55’S, 124°04’E, 0.7 m, S. Morrison, 3 Dec. 1996; WAM P. 31389-003, 83.4 mm SL, Beagle Bay, Western Australia, 16°51’S, 122°40’E, 0.1–0.5 m, B. Hutchins, 27 Aug. 1997; WAM P. 31510-006, 112.8 mm SL, Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia, 20°26’S, 116°49’E, 0.1–0.5 m, B. Hutchins, 22 Oct. 1998. LOCALITY UNKNOWN: MCZ 13940, 2 specimens, 113.3–116.2 mm SL, Penang or Singapore, Cap. Putnam, mid 1800’s.

Diagnosis. A species of Parascorpaena with the following characters: pectoral-fin rays usually 17 (rarely 16 or 18); scale rows in longitudinal series 43–49 (mode 45); scale rows below lateral line 15–18 (16); scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 6–8 (7); scale rows between sixth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 6–8 (7); first and second suborbital ridges fused, forming a single ridge ( Fig. 5 ) with two spines behind level of orbit, spines absent below eye; interorbital ridges poorly developed, not encircling a depression ( Fig. 4 ); occipital pit very weakly developed, nearly flat ( Fig. 4 ); smaller head and orbit, head length 40.1–46.3% (mean 43.6%) of SL and orbit diameter 10.5–13.0% (11.4%) of SL ( Fig. 6 ); shorter upper jaw and pectoral fin, upper-jaw length 20.0–24.0% (21.5%) of SL and longest pectoral-fin ray length 29.5– 36.7% (31.8%) of SL ( Fig. 6 ); no black blotch on spinous portion of dorsal fin.

Pectoral-fin rays (one side/other side) Pored lateral-line scales 16/16 16/17 17/17 17/18 18/18 22 23 24

P. aurita 7 81 2 6 21 62

P. p i c t a 1 2 57 1 2 1 56 6

Scale rows in longitudinal series

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

P. aurita 4 5 3 7 12 21 16 11 6 3

P. p i c t a 3 14 17 14 10 3 2 Scales above / below lateral line Scale rows between Scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine 6th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line base and lateral line 5 6 7 / 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 4 5 6 7 8 5 6 7 8

P. aurita 23 60 6 1 9 60 17 2 1 9 70 10 6 73 11

P. p i c t a 2 35 21 14 32 12 2 1 43 17 2 51 8

Gill rakers

On upper limb On ceratohyal On hypobranchial Total Parascorpaena aurita and P. p i c t a can be easily distinguished from other congeners by having usually 17 or 18 pectoral-fin rays (vs. usually 15 or 16 in the latter) and lacking a spine on the suborbital ridge below the eye ( Poss, 1999; this study). In his key to western Pacific scorpionfish species, Poss (1999: 2301) considered P. a u r i t a to have well developed interorbital ridges forming a broad loop at the rear of the interorbit and enclosing a depression (interorbital ridges weakly or moderately developed in P. p i c t a, not enclosing a depression), a fairly well marked depression at the occiput (depression shallow or moderate only) and the tympanic spines usually closer together than the postocular spines (tympanic spines usually further apart than postocular spines). The first two characters are herein confirmed as valid ( Fig. 4 ), unlike the third, which is subject to significant individual variation in location and inclination of the tympanic and postocular spines in both species.

In addition to the above conditions, careful examination of the two species revealed that P. aurita differs from P. p i c t a in having the first and second suborbital ridges well separated, the posterior portion of the first ridge overlapping with the anterior portion of the second ridge ( Fig. 5 A vs. ridges fused together; Fig. 5 B). This character can be used to distinguish between the two species, being consistent throughout adult life, although removal of the skin covering on the ridges may be necessary for clear interpretation.

Furthermore, P. aurita and P. p i c t a also differ from each other in some meristic counts, although the ranges of most overlapped between them ( Table 2). The most useful counts for separating the two species included: scale rows in longitudinal series 35–44, mode 40, in P. a u r i t a (vs. 43–49, 45, in P. p i c t a); scale rows below the lateral line 12–16, 14 (vs. 15–18, 16); scale rows between the last dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4–7, 6 (vs. 6–8, 7); and scale rows between the sixth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 5–7, 6 (vs. 6–8, 7) ( Table 2).

Morphometrics of P. aurita also differed substantially from P. p i c t a, although some proportional measurements slightly overlapped between the two species ( Table 1 , Fig. 6 ). The head and orbit of P. aurita were larger than in P. p i c t a [head length 42.0–48.3% (mean 45.3%) of SL and orbit diameter 11.6–15.2% (12.6%) of SL vs. 40.1–46.3% (43.6%) of SL and 10.5–13.0% (11.4%) of SL, respectively, in P. p i c t a; Fig. 6 ], and the upper jaw and pectoral fin of P. a u r i t a were longer [upper-jaw length 21.0–26.8% (mean 23.1%) of SL and longest pectoral-fin ray length 28.6–36.5% (34.0%) of SL vs. 20.0–24.0% (21.5%) of SL and 29.5–36.7% (31.8%) of SL, respectively, in P. p i c t a; Fig. 6 ]. In addition, spines on the dorsal surface of the head (e.g., supraocular, postocular and tympanic spines) of P. aurita tended to be more strongly developed than in P. picta .

Allen & Cross (1989) and Allen et al. (2007) synonymized four nominal Australian species, Scorpaena bynoensis Richardson, 1845 (type locality: northwestern coast of Australia), Scorpaena stokesii Richardson, 1846 (type locality: coast of Australia), Scorpaena bellicosa Castelnau, 1875 (type locality: Nicol Bay, Queensland, Australia) and Scorpaena burra Richardson, 1842 (type locality: Depuch Island, Western Australia), with S. picta . Although type materials of the first three nominal species are unknown, the original descriptions and figures showed them to be identical with P. aurita , rather than P. p i c t a. Thus, we regard S. bynoensis , S. stokesii and S. bellicosa as junior synonyms of S. aurita . However, the original description of Scorpaena burra was based solely on a brief drawing by Emery (No. 29). Because an unequivocal identification was not possible (suborbital and lacrimal spines not illustrated), we regard S. burra as nomen dubium. Other nominal species attributed to species of Parascorpaena , including P. aurita and P. p i c t a, are to be discussed by Motomura, Eschmeyer & Randall (in prep.) in a forthcoming taxonomic revision of the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Parascorpaena picta. A, KAUM-I. 10320, 92.9 mm SL, Thailand; B, BPBM 17388, 110.1 mm SL, Australia.

FIGURE 3. Distributional records of (A) Parascorpaena aurita and (B) P. p i c t a, based on specimens examined in this study.

FIGURE 4. Dorsolateral views of posterior portion of interorbital space and occipital pit of (A) Parascorpaena aurita and (B) P. p i ct a. A, BPBM 14511, 112.8 mm SL, Australia; B, CAS 41296, 105.9 mm SL, Thailand. IR = interorbital ridge; TS = tympanic spine; OP = occipital pit; PS = parietal spine.

FIGURE 5. Ventrolateral views of suborbital ridges of (A) Parascorpaena aurita and (B) P. p i c t a (skin removed). A, SU 28384, 86.4 mm SL, Philippines; B, CAS 41299, 98.9 mm SL, Thailand. Arrow indicates a gap between the first and second suborbital ridges. LB = lacrimal bone; FSR = first suborbital ridge; SSR = second suborbital ridge; SS = suborbital spines. Bars indicate 5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Relationships of (A) head length, (B) orbit diameter, (C) upper-jaw length and (D) longest pectoral-fin ray length to standard length in Parascorpaena aurita (circles) and P. p i c t a (triangles).