Redescriptions of Pterois radiata and Pterois cincta (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) with notes on geographic morphological variations in P. radiata

Abstract

The lionfishes (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) Pterois radiata Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1829 and Pterois cincta Rüppell 1838 are both redescribed as valid, although the latter has previously been regarded as a junior synonym of the former. Pterois (Pseudomonopterus) vittata Sauvage 1878 and Scorpaena barffi Curtiss 1944 are regarded as junior synonyms of P. radiata. Pterois radiata and P. cincta are easily distinguished from their congeners by usually having XII, 11 dorsal-fin rays and 16-17 pectoral-fin rays, in addition to five broad vertical bands on the side of the body and a single broad horizontal band on the side of the caudal peduncle. Pterois cincta can be distinguished from P. radiata by having extremely long fin rays [e.g., longest pelvic-fin soft ray length 48.2-71.9 (mean 60.0) % of standard length in P. cincta, 36.8-53.3 (44.7) % in P. radiata]; and relatively narrow main bands and broad additional (inserted) markings on the side of the body. Pterois radiata is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the east coast of Africa eastward to French Polynesia, and from northwestern Australia northward to southern Japan; in contrast, P. cincta is restricted to the Red Sea, with the exception of several doubtful records. Intraspecific geographical variations in several morphological characters were recognized between Indian and Pacific Ocean P. radiata, the former having fewer scales on parts of the body, and occasionally absence of additional markings (between the second and third and fourth and fifth bands) on the sides of the body. Geographical variations in the number of pectoral-fin rays in Pacific Ocean populations of P. radiata are also documented and morphological changes with growth of the two species described in detail. A neotype is proposed for P. radiata.

First record of the Radial Lionfish, Pterois radiata Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae), for Kosrae, Micronesia

“…Because P. radiata is the rarest lionfish species in Micronesia and easiest to overlook, it is unsurprising that gaps remain in its known distribution. The occurrence of P. radiata in Kosrae fills a gap between the closest documented localities of Pohnpei approximately 535 km to the west-northwest, Enewetok Atoll approximately 675 km to the north, Bikini Atoll approximately 725 km to the north-northeast, and Nauru approximately 775 km to the southeast (Matsunuma and Motomura 2016).…”

“…Radial Lionfish, Pterois radiata Cuvier, 1829, is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific, from the east coast of Africa to French Polynesia (Matsunuma and Motomura 2016). It has been previously recorded from several island groups in Micronesia, including Palau, Yap, Guam, Ifalik Atoll, Kapingamarangi, Pohnpei, and Marshall Islands (e.g., Kami et al 1968;Myers 1991;Donaldson 1996;Donaldson et al 2011;Matsunuma and Motomura 2016). At least 358 species of inshore and epipelagic fishes have been previously reported from the state of Kosrae (Myers 1991), which is the easternmost high island in Micronesia (Fig.…”

Data quality and quantity for invasive species: A case study of the lionfishes

“…Multiple studies have found polyphyly in the genera Pterois and Dendrochirus (Kochzius, Söller, Khalaf, & Blohm, ; Freshwater et al, ). Several cryptic species have been identified and described in the last 10 years, including the Red Sea dwarf lionfish ( Dendrochirus hemprichi , Scorpaenidae; Matsunuma, Motomura, & Bogorodsky, ), Tuamotu's dwarf lionfish ( Dendrochirus tuamotuensis , Scorpaenidae; Matsunuma & Motomura, ), the Andover lionfish ( Pterois andover , Scorpaenidae; Allen & Erdmann, ), Pterois cincta (Matsunuma & Motomura, ), and P. paucispinula (Matsunuma & Motomura, ). Species ranges which were formerly broad have been carved into smaller regions (Matsunuma & Motomura, ), resulting in literature that incorporates multiple congeners into a common data set.…”

“…Several cryptic species have been identified and described in the last 10 years, including the Red Sea dwarf lionfish ( Dendrochirus hemprichi , Scorpaenidae; Matsunuma, Motomura, & Bogorodsky, ), Tuamotu's dwarf lionfish ( Dendrochirus tuamotuensis , Scorpaenidae; Matsunuma & Motomura, ), the Andover lionfish ( Pterois andover , Scorpaenidae; Allen & Erdmann, ), Pterois cincta (Matsunuma & Motomura, ), and P. paucispinula (Matsunuma & Motomura, ). Species ranges which were formerly broad have been carved into smaller regions (Matsunuma & Motomura, ), resulting in literature that incorporates multiple congeners into a common data set. Recently, genetic evidence has suggested hybridization in the native range between the plaintail turkeyfish ( Pterois russelii , Scorpaenidae) and P. miles , further confounding taxonomic relationships and including the potential for heterosis in populations of the four largest species of lionfishes P. volitans , P. miles , P. russelii , and the luna lionfish ( Pterois lunulata , Scorpaenidae; Wilcox, Motomura, Matsunuma, & Bowen, ).…”

First Record of Pterois russelii in the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, India

“…Family Scorpaenidae comes under the largest diverse order, Perciformes, and is mostly represented by the rock or reef-associated fishes [3,4]. Pterois is a genus of turkeyfishes under Scorpaenidae, represented by 12 valid species globally [5,6]. So far only five of the species have been recorded from the marine waters of India and only two of them, namely P. russelli Bennett, 1831 and P. volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) have been recorded from the coastal parts of West Bengal State [7,8].…”