Assessment of taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa andS. gibbosa (Scorpaenidae), with first records of S. obtusa from Japanand Australia and comments on the synonymy of S. gibbosa
byHiroyuki MOTOMURA (1) & Gento SHINOHARA (2)ABSTRACT. - Three specimens of the scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis obtusa Randall & Eschmeyer, collected from Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Japan (URM-P 21256, 40.4 mm SL), Lizard Island, Queensland (AMS I. 19482-190, 37.8 mm SL)
and Bedwell Island, Clerke Reef, Rowley Shoals, Western Australia (WAM-P 28037-001, 34.8 mm SL), represent the firstreliable records from Japan and Australia (and the Indian Ocean) and northernmost and southernmost records of thespecies. The specimens are described herein and detailed comparisons made with a related species, S. gibbosa (Bloch &Schneider). The colour pattern of the inner surface of the pectoral fin of S. obtusa and a colour photograph of a fresh specimen are also figured for the first time. In addition, a nominal species, Scorpaena axillaris Bliss, 1883, is regarded as a
junior synonym of Scorpaenopsis gibbosa. Validity of the previously recognized taxonomic characters of both species isassessed and new diagnostic characters are proposed.
RÉSUMÉ. - Évaluation des caractères taxinomiques de Scorpaenopsis obtusa et de S. gibbosa (Scorpaenidae), premières
captures de S. obtusa du Japon et d’Australie, et commentaires sur la synonymie de S. gibbosa.
Trois spécimens de rascasse Scorpaenopsis obtusa Randall & Eschmeyer, collectés à Okinawa, aux îles Ryukyu, Japon(URM-P 21256, 40,4 mm LS), à Lizard Island, Queensland (AMS I. 19482-190, 37,8 mm LS) et à Bedwell Island, Clerke
Reef, Rowley Shoals, Australie occidentale (WAM-P 28037-001, 34,8 mm LS), représentent les premiers signalements
fiables du Japon et d’Australie (et de l’océan Indien) et les signalements les plus septentrionaux et les plus méridionaux del’espèce. Ces spécimens sont décrits et des comparaisons détaillées sont faites avec une espèce proche, S. gibbosa (Bloch& Schneider). La coloration de la surface interne de la nageoire pectorale de S. obtusa et une photographie en couleur d’un
spécimen frais sont également présentées pour la première fois. De plus, l’espèce nominale, Scorpaena axillaris Bliss,
1883, est considérée comme synonyme junior de Scorpaenopsis gibbosa. La validité des caractères taxinomiques précédemment identifiés pour ces deux espèces est évaluée et de nouveaux caractères diagnostiques sont proposés.
Key words. - Scorpaenidae - Scorpaenopsis obtusa - Scorpaenopsis gibbosa - INW - Japan - ISEW - Australia - Redescriptions - Synonymy - First records.

The scorpionfish (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae),
Scorpaenopsis obtusa Randall & Eschmeyer, 2002, originally described on the basis of three specimens (36.5-79.0 mm
standard length), is the smallest humpback species of Scor paenopsis, characterized by a highly arched back below the
spinous part of the dorsal fin, broad interorbit and divided
upper opercular spine (Randall and Eschmeyer, 2002).
Although Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) collected andexamined a large number of Scorpaenopsis specimens froma wide geographical range in the Indo-Pacific region, S.
obtusa was reported only from two specimens from the Philippines and one from Papua New Guinea.
Four small specimens of humpback Scorpaenopsis, collected from Japan (Okinawa Island), Papua New Guinea(Madang), Australia (Lizard Island, Queensland and Bedwell Island, Western Australia), were found in museum collections and subsequently identified as S. obtusa on the basisof several morphological characters, including head spine

structure, meristics, proportional measurements and colour
pattern on the inner surface of the pectoral fin. The specimens represent the first reliable records from Japanese andAustralian waters, the Western Australian specimen also representing the first record from the Indian Ocean. The specimens are described herein and detailed comparisons madewith a related species, S. gibbosa (Bloch & Schneider,
1801). The striking colour pattern of the pectoral fin of S. ob tusa and a colour photograph of a fresh specimen are also
figured for the first time. Validity of the previously recognized taxonomic characters of both species are assessed andnew diagnostic characters are proposed. In addition, a poorly-known nominal species, Scorpaena axillaris, is confirmed as a junior synonym of Scorpaenopsis gibbosa.
Counts, measurements and head spine terminology follow Randall and Eschmeyer (2002). Standard and headlengths are expressed as SL and HL, respectively. Comparative materials examined are listed in Motomura (2002,(1) Ichthyology, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, AUSTRALIA. [motomurah@austmus.gov.au](2) Fish Division, Department of Zoology, National Science Museum, 3-23-1 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073, JAPAN.
[s-gento@kahaku.go.jp]
Cybium 2005, 29(3): 295-301.

Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa

2004a, 2004b) and Motomura et al. (2004). Institutional
codes follow Leviton et al. (1985).

SCORPAENOPSIS OBTUSA(Figs 1-5, 6A, 7)
Scorpaenopsis obtusa Randall & Eschmeyer, 2002: 37,
fig. 10 (type locality: Observation Island, Tawitawi Group,
Sulu Archipelago, Philippines).
New standard Japanese name: Shirayuki-kasago.
Material examinedJapan. - URM-P 21256, 40.4 mm SL, Diamond Beach, Onnason, Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, 1 m depth, coral and sandy
bottom, coll. by N. Takamura, 11 Jun. 1989.
Philippines. - CAS 54231 (paratype of S. obtusa), 49.7 mm SL,
Bararin Island (10°52’42”N, 120°56’44”E), Palawan Province, 017.4 m depth, rotenone, coll. by V.G. Springer et al., 24 May 1978.
Papua New Guinea. - CAS 213340 (paratype of S. obtusa),
36.5 mm SL, north coast of Towai Point, Kiriwina, Trobriand
Islands, 0-0.5 m depth, rotenone, coll. by B.B. Collette, 8 Jun.
1970; WAM-P 30340-007, 25.6 mm SL, coral and cave area onouter reef (5°11’S, 145°50’E), Madang, 18 m depth, rotenone, coll.
by G.R. Allen and M. Allen, 5 Oct. 1991.
Australia. - AMS I. 19482-190, 37.8 mm SL, Sand Cay, Lizard
Island (14°40’S, 145°27’E), Queensland, 3-25 m depth, coral andsandy bottom, rotenone, coll. by Australian Museum party, 27 Nov.
1975; WAM-P 28037-001, 34.8 mm SL, 1 km off south tip of Bedwell Island (17°16’S, 119°22’E), Clerke Reef, Rowley Shoals,
Western Australia, 45-50 m depth, rotenone, coll. by G.R. Allen, 14Aug. 1983.

Description
The following description is based on four non-type
specimens collected from Japan, Papua New Guinea andAustralia. Three type specimens from the Philippines andPapua New Guinea were described by Randall and Eschmeyer (2002).
Dorsal fin rays XII, 9; anal fin rays III, 5; pectoral fin
rays 17 or 18; longitudinal scale rows 37-41; pored lateralline scales 21; scales above lateral line 6 or 7, below 22; gillrakers 4 or 5 (upper limb) + 8 or 9 (lower limb, including araker at angle); 3 pores on underside of mandible on eachside. Body depth 2.2-2.4 (mean 2.3) in SL; body width 3.33.7 (3.5); head length 2.0-2.2 (2.1); predorsal length 2.2-2.6(2.4); preanal length 1.3-1.4 (1.4); prepelvic length 2.4; firstdorsal spine length 13.0-16.8 (15.0); second dorsal spine
length 7.9-8.3 (8.1); longest dorsal spine (third or fourth)length 6.0-7.3 (6.7); eleventh dorsal spine length 9.7-11.6(10.6); twelfth dorsal spine length 7.3-8.4 (7.8); longest dorsal soft ray (second or third) length 4.8-5.5 (5.2); first anal
spine length 9.8-10.9 (10.2); second anal spine length 5.15.6 (5.4); third anal spine length 5.6-6.5 (6.0); longest analsoft ray (second) length 4.1-5.0 (4.6); pectoral fin length 2.7296

MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA
3.0 (2.8); pelvic spine length 4.7-5.6 (5.2); longest pelvic
soft ray (second or third) length 3.4-4.2 (3.8); caudal fin
length 3.3-3.6 (3.4); caudal peduncle length 5.5-6.6 (6.0);
caudal peduncle depth 8.3-8.6 (8.4). Snout length 3.8-4.2(mean 4.0) in HL; orbit diameter 4.3-4.8 (4.6); interorbital
width 3.6-3.9 (3.8); upper jaw length 1.8-1.9 (1.8); distance
between ventral margin of orbit and suborbital ridge 14.321.5 (18.5); postorbital length 1.7-1.8 (1.8); longest dorsal
spine length 2.7-3.6 (3.2).
Body not compressed anteriorly, but progressively morecompressed posteriorly; mouth large, oblique, forming anangle of about 60° to horizontal axis of head and body; posterior margin of maxilla reaching a straight line linking posterior margin of orbit with edge of retroarticular; lower jaw
projecting; vomerine tooth plate distinct, forming a Vshaped patch, but with few teeth; no palatine teeth; nasal
spine simple, directed upward, its length slightly greaterthan anterior nostril diameter; anterior nostril with a tentacle, its length greater than anterior nostril diameter; ascending process of premaxilla intruding into interorbital space,posterior margin of ascending process reaching level ofanterior margin of pupil; no median interorbital ridge;
interorbital ridges present, but indistinct; interorbital spaceshallow and broad, its width greater than orbit diameter; preocular and supraocular spines small, canted laterally; postocular spine simple, larger than supraocular spine, broadly
joined to tympanic spine at base; no coronal or extra spines;
occipital pit deep, anterior edge distinct and curved posteriorly; parietal and nuchal spines approximately equal size,
joined at base; sphenotic with 2 small spines; postorbitalwith 1 or 2 small spines; pterotic spine simple, approximately equal size to supraocular spine; upper posttemporal spine
larger than lower spine; supracleithral spine bearing a second spine on medial surface, length of former greater thanany spines on dorsal surface of head.
Lacrymal ridge serrate; anterior lacrymal spine simple,
directed forward, its tip reaching dorsal margin of upper lip;posterior lacrymal spine simple, directed backward, its tip
not reaching dorsal margin of upper lip; posterior lacrymal
spine associated with a short fimbriate flap (rarely absent),
linked posteriorly to head by fringed skin; posterior lacrymal
spine larger than anterior spine; suborbital ridge with 4
spines; suborbital pit present; preopercle with 5 spines,
uppermost spine largest and bearing a second spine on its
base, lower 4 spines simple, blunt; upper opercular spinewith 2 points, no median ridge; lower opercular spine simple
with a median ridge; no prominent tentacles on chin, underside of mandible or head spines, except for posterior lacrymal spine; 0-5 lateral line scales associated with round flaps;
head with a large number of small papillae.
Origin of first dorsal spine just above origin of supracleithral spine; posterior margin of opercular membrane extendCybium 2005, 29(3)MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA

Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa

ing slightly beyond level of origin of fourth dorsal spine;posterior tip of pectoral fin reaching or extending beyond
level of origin of first anal fin soft ray; posterior tip of pelvic
fin not reaching or extending slightly beyond anus when
depressed; origin of last dorsal spine just above origin of
first anal spine.

Figure 2. - Distribution of Scorpaenopsis obtusa ( ) and S. gib bosa ( ). Closed and open symbols indicate specimens examinedin this study and other specimens reported by Randall andEschmeyer (2002), respectively. [Distribution de Scorpaenopsis
obtusa ( ) et S. gibbosa ( ). Les symboles pleins et vides
indiquent les spécimens examinés dans cette étude et les spécimens
signalés par Randall et Eschmeyer (2002).]DISCUSSION

Figure 1. - Inner surface of the right pectoral fin of Scorpaenopsis
obtusa (AMS I. 19482-190, 37.8 mm SL, Queensland, Australia).
[Surface interne de la nageoire pectorale droite de Scorpaenopsis
obtusa.]Colour in preservative. - Head and body brown dorsally,
whitish ventrally; dorsal fin membrane with scatteredmelanophores; pectoral fin whitish with a broad black bandnear base and a semicircular black submarginal spot; axil of
pectoral fin white with 20-25 small black spots (Fig. 1);
inner surface of pectoral fin white with a semicircular black
spot near base of first 4-6 rays and associated membranes,
and a broad submarginal black band extending over first 6
rays and associated membranes (Fig. 1); pelvic fin black,
except white distal margin; anal fin whitish with a broad
black band; caudal fin white (with a broad grey band nearbase in Lizard Island specimen). Colour when fresh shownin figure 7A.
Distribution
The species is currently known only from Japan (Okinawa Island), the Philippines (Observation Island andBararin Island), Papua New Guinea (Trobriand Islands andMadang), and Australia (Lizard Island, Queensland andBedwell Island, Western Australia) (Fig. 2). Specimens collected from Japan and Australia represent the first records ofthe species from those areas, the Western Australian andOkinawa specimens also representing the first record fromthe Indian Ocean and northernmost record of the species,
respectively. Collection data for the species indicated capture depths from 0-50 m.

Cybium 2005, 29(3)Characters of the present four specimens collected fromJapan (Okinawa Island), Papua New Guinea (Madang) andAustralia (Queensland and Western Australia) were wellconsistent with those of the holotype and two paratypes of S.
obtusa, described by Randall and Eschmeyer (2002), withthe exception of some counts and measurements, e.g., pectoral fin rays (17-18 vs 18-19 in the latter), longitudinal scalerows (37-41 vs 37-39) and head length (2.1-2.2 in SL vs 2.02.1). The small differences in counts and measurements may
simply reflect the limited number of specimens available.
According to Randall and Eschmeyer (2002), the nasal spineof two individuals (49.7-79.0 mm SL) was divided, forming
2 blunt points, although the smallest paratype (36.5 mm SL)
has only a single point. The present specimens (25.6-40.4mm SL) also have a single-pointed nasal spine, indicatingthat the nasal spine may divide with growth in this species.
Five humpback species of Scorpaenopsis have been recognized as valid: S. diabolus (Cuvier) (Indo-Pacific), S. gib bosa (western Indian Ocean), S. macrochir Ogilby (IndoPacific), S. neglecta Heckel (Indo-West Pacific) and S.
obtusa. With the exception of S. gibbosa, S. obtusa is easily
distinguished from the other humpback species by the presence of a simple upper posttemporal spine (double in S. dia bolus), smooth supraorbital ridge (serrate in S. neglecta), a
black spot on the inner surface of the pectoral fin near thebase of the first 4 rays (absent in S. macrochir and S. neglec ta), and lower counts of longitudinal scale series (37-41 vs
41-47 in S. diabolus, 42-45 in S. macrochir and S. neglecta).
As Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) mentioned, S. obtusa
appears to be the closest relative to S. gibbosa in having asemicircular black spot near the base of the upper rays andassociated membranes, a broad submarginal black band
extending over the upper rays and associated membranes of297

Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa

the inner surface of the pectoral fin, and several small blackspots on the pectoral fin axil, a unique condition among the
Scorpaenidae. The striking colour pattern of the pectoral finof S. obtusa is illustrated in figure 1, that of S. gibbosa having been given in Eschmeyer and Randall (1975: 307, fig.
17c). Because both species were very similar to each other inoverall body appearance and head spine structure, in addition to the colour pattern of the pectoral fin, S. obtusa had
previously been identified as S. gibbosa. Randall andEschmeyer (2002), however, distinguished S. obtusa (basedon 3 specimens) and S. gibbosa (based on 10 specimens) on
the basis of four morphological characters: 1) snout length(3.7-4.25 in HL in the former vs 3.3-3.55 in HL in the latter),2) location of the ascending process of the premaxilla(extending into interorbital space vs not extending), 3) number of longitudinal scale rows (37-39 vs 40-44) and 4) number of pectoral fin rays (18-19 vs 16-18). Examination during this study of S. obtusa (6 specimens, including 4 newlyobtained) and S. gibbosa (9 specimens) showed the firstcharacter (snout length) given by Randall and Eschmeyer(2002) to be reliable for species’ discrimination. The second(ascending process of premaxilla) was also a good characterfor separation of the two species, but is redefined here as follows: ascending process of premaxilla in S. obtusa reachinglevel with anterior margins of pupils in dorsal view (vs notreaching in S. gibbosa). Ranges of the meristic characters,
longitudinal scale series (37-39) and pectoral fin rays (18 or19) of S. obtusa (based on three specimens) given by Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) became broader after our more
extensive examination (37-41 and 17-19, respectively).
Although both characters now overlap between S. obtusa
and S. gibbosa, the mean differences of longitudinal scaleseries (38.6 in S. obtusa vs 42.0 in S. gibbosa) and pectoral
fin ray numbers (17.9 vs 17.0, respectively) are significant.
In addition to the above characters, the following additional diagnostic characters were found for S. obtusa and S.
gibbosa. To assess the characters accurately, we excluded
data for the holotype of S. obtusa, because the latter had an
unusual body shape (highly arched back below the anteriorspinous part of the dorsal fin; see Randall and Eschmeyer,2002). Because of the size gap between the holotype (largest
known specimen, 79.0 mm SL) and second largest known
specimen (paratype, 47.9 mm SL), we could not determine if
the unusual body shape of the holotype is simply a deformity
or represents growth-related changes or a secondary sexual
characteristic (Randall and Eschmeyer, 2002 reported theholotype to be a mature female). The problem should be
solved when larger specimens over ca. 50 mm SL of thespecies are collected in the future. A series of life stages of S.
obtusa from 25.6 to 47.9 mm SL (Fig. 3) shows none of thespecimens to have a remarkable hump (as seen in the holotype).
298

MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA

Figure 3. - Life stages of Scorpaenopsis obtusa. A: WAM-P 30340007, 25.6 mm SL, Papua New Guinea; B: CAS 213340 (paratypeof S. obtusa), 36.5 mm SL, Papua New Guinea; C: AMS I. 19482190, 37.8 mm SL, Australia; D: URM-P 21256, 40.4 mm SL,
Japan; E: CAS 54231 (paratype of S. obtusa), 49.7 mm SL, Philippines. [Série de croissance de Scorpaenopsis obtusa.]
Cybium 2005, 29(3)MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA

Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa

The distance between the ventral margin of the orbit andsuborbital ridge in S. obtusa [mean 39.2 (range 31.5-45.1) in
SL] was significantly narrower than that in S. gibbosa [25.7(19.4-30.1) in SL]. This morphometric character does notreflect growth-related changes (see Fig. 4), therefore being
reliable for species’ discrimination. This character was not
mentioned in Randall and Eschmeyer (2002).

Figure 5. - Relationships of head length / interorbital width to standard length in Scorpaenopsis obtusa ( ) and S. gibbosa ( ).
[Relation entre la longueur de la tête /la largeur interorbitale et lalongueur standard chez Scorpaenopsis obtusa ( ) et S. gibbosa( ).]Figure 4. - Relationships of distance between ventral margin oforbit (VMO) and suborbital ridge (SR) to standard length in Scor paenopsis obtusa ( ) and S. gibbosa ( ). [Relation entre lalongueur standard et la distance entre le bord ventral de l’orbite(VMO) et la crête suborbitale (SR) chez Scorpaenopsis obtusa ( )et S. gibbosa ( ).]Because the interorbital width of S. obtusa overlappedthat of S. gibbosa, Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) did notgive special attention to the character (interorbital width 3.94.5 in HL in both species, according to Randall andEschmeyer, 2002). However, re-examination of that character (measured between the posterior end of the preocularspine bases) showed that the interorbital space of S. obtusa
tended to become narrower with growth, whereas in S. gib bosa it became wider with growth (Fig. 5). Accordingly,
similarly-sized individuals of the two species can be distinguished from each other by interorbital width. In addition,
the interorbital space of S. obtusa tends to be shallower thanthat of S. gibbosa.
Furthermore, S. obtusa differs from S. gibbosa in having
the posterior margin of the maxilla reaching to or extending
beyond a straight line between the posterior margin of theorbit and posteroventral tip of the retroarticular (vs usually
not reaching in the latter; Fig. 6).
Although Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) provided a
detailed morphological description of the species, such was
based on preserved specimens only and therefore lacked any
Cybium 2005, 29(3)Figure 6. - Heads of Scorpaenopsis obtusa (A), URM-P 21256,
40.4 mm SL and S. gibbosa (B), CAS 54104, 81.8 mm SL, showing
the posterior margin of the maxilla reaching (A) or not reaching (B)a straight line between the posterior margin of the orbit and posteroventral tip of the retroarticular. [Têtes de Scorpaenopsis obtusa(A) et de S. gibbosa (B). Le bord postérieur du maxillaire atteint(A) ou n’atteint pas (B) la ligne droite passant par le bord
postérieur de l’orbite et le sommet postéroventral du rétroarticu laire.]

information on fresh coloration. A colour photograph of aWestern Australian specimen of S. obtusa, taken by G.R.
Allen before formalin fixation, is therefore provided here
(Fig. 7A), along with a photograph of the same specimen
after preservation (Fig. 7B) for comparative purposes. A
broad vertical reddish band, width approximately 1.5 times
orbit diameter, on the caudal fin when fresh (Fig. 7A) faded
completely on preservation (Fig. 7B). With the exception ofa single specimen which lacked the caudal fin (URM-P
21256, 40.4 mm SL; Fig. 3D), all of the known preserved
specimens of S. obtusa also lacked the band on the caudal
fin, which appeared white (see Fig. 3), whereas the caudal
299

Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa

MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA
species (S. obtusa plus above four species) may be monophyletic, since they share at least the following derived characters: deep occipital and suborbital pits, broad interorbital
space (3.6-4.5 in HL) and upper ocular spines divided into
two or more.
Scorpaenopsis obtusa is currently known from the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans, whereas S. gibbosa is
distributed in the western Indian Ocean (Fig. 2), suggestingthat a vicariance event may be related to speciation within
Scorpaenopsis.

Figure 7. - Colour changes in Scorpaenopsis obtusa caused by fixation. A: Fresh specimen (photograph by G.R. Allen); B: Same specimen after preservation (WAM-P 28037-001, 34.8 mm SL, Rowley
Shoals, Western Australia). [Changements de couleur chez Scorpaenopsis obtusa provoqués par la fixation. A : Spécimen frais(photographie de G.R. Allen) ; B : Même spécimen après fixation.]

fins of all S. gibbosa examined during this study stillretained distinct melanophores (see Fig. 8), even the oldest
specimen (MCZ 6028, 70.4 mm SL; Fig. 8B, preserved forover 120 years). In some near-shore scorpaenid species (e.g.,
Scorpaena brasiliensis Cuvier), specimens collected fromshallow waters have brown or black spots and bars on thefins, whereas the spots and bars in specimens from deeper
waters are reddish, the reddish colour fading completely on
preservation (W.N. Eschmeyer, pers. comm., 2004). Thus,
the fin colour condition in some scorpaenid species mayvary intraspecifically so as to reflect habitats (including
water depth), indicating that colour is not always reliable asa diagnostic character. However, because the preserved
specimens of S. obtusa, which were collected from variable
water depths (0-50 m), invariably had a white caudal fin
compared with those of S. gibbosa, which had the caudal fin
with a distinct band, we believe that this character provides auseful distinction between S. obtusa and S. gibbosa.
Imamura (2004) indicated that Scorpaenopsis is a relatively primitive group among his Scorpaenidae, the genus
being a sister group of remaining genera except Scorpaena.
He defined Scorpaenopsis by two derived characters, viz.
the sixth infraorbital fused with the sphenotic, and the interarcual cartilage absent. Although the interrelationshipamong Scorpaenopsis species is unclear, the humpback
300

Figure 8. - Scorpaenopsis gibbosa. A: CAS 54105, 42.6 mm SL,
Kenya; B: MCZ 6028, holotype of Scorpaena axillaris, 70.4 mm
SL, Mauritius (photograph by R. Passion, © Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University); C: CAS 54104, 81.8 mm SL,
Seychelles.

Synonymy of Scorpaenopsis gibbosa
Randall and Eschmeyer (2002) redescribed Scorpaenop sis gibbosa, regarding Scorpaena nesogallica Cuvier in
Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829 as a junior synonym of the former on the basis of the holotype of S. gibbosa (ZMB 768,
110.9 mm SL), two syntypes of S. nesogallica (MNHN 774,
85.5 mm SL and MNHN 6671, 77 mm SL) and a number of
non-type specimens.
A nominal species, Scorpaena axillaris, originallydescribed by Bliss (1883) from a single specimen from Mauritius, has not been reported since its original description, thetaxonomic status of the nominal species being unknown
Cybium 2005, 29(3)MOTOMURA & SHINOHARA(Eschmeyer, 1998). Recently, Fricke (1999) synonymised it
under Sebastapistes mauritiana (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829), which is widely distributed in the IndoPacific Ocean (Poss, 1999). However, the online version of
the “Catalog of Fishes”, edited by W.N. Eschmeyer andother staff of the California Academy of Sciences Department of Ichthyology, has listed S. axillaris as a junior synonym of S. gibbosa, along with the comment “W. Eschmeyer, pers. observation of holotype”. Randall and Eschmeyer(2002) overlooked S. axillaris. Our examination of the holotype of S. axillaris (MCZ 6028, 70.4 mm SL; Fig. 8B) andspecimens of S. gibbosa showed that they represented a single species, distinguished by the above-mentioned characters (data for S. axillaris included in Figs 4-5). Accordingly,
S. axillaris is herein confirmed as a junior synonym of S.
gibbosa.
Material of Scorpaenopsis gibbosa examined
BMNH 1916.9.23.46, 66.8 mm SL, Durban, South Africa, coll.
by R. Robinson and H. Marley; BMNH 1920.7.23.44, 37.4 mm SL,
same data as BMNH 1916.9.23.46; BMNH 2002.6.30.2191, 53.8mm SL, west coast of Baie de la Petite River, Albion, Mauritius,
coll. by A. Gill et al., 22 Apr. 1995; BPBM 20083, 51.2 mm SL,
east coast of Palmar, Mauritius, 0-0.5 m, coll. by M.M. Smith and
J.E. Randall, 27 Oct. 1973; CAS 54104, 81.8 mm SL, Aldabra
Atoll, Seychelles, coll. by H.A. Fehlmann, 3 Dec. 1964; CAS
54105, 42.6 mm SL, Andromache Reef, Kenya, coll. by H.A.
Fehlmann, 16 Nov. 1964; CAS 17526, 89.0 mm SL, Diego Garcia
Atoll, Chagos Archipelago, coll. by J.W. McIntyre, Mar. 1972;
CAS 34522, 99.4 mm SL, Mitsamouli Lagoon, Grande Comore
Island, Comoro Islands, coll. by J.E. McCosker and M.D. Lagios,
23 Feb. 1975; MCZ 6028 (holotype of Scorpaena axillaris), 70.4mm SL, Mauritius, coll. by N. Pike.

Acknowledgments. - We thank all staff of the Fish Section, Australian Museum, Sydney and Y. Motomura, Chatswood, Australia
for their assistance, and G.S. Hardy, Ngunguru, New Zealand, andT. Trnski and M. McGrouther (AMS) for their valuable commentson the manuscript. Special thanks go to G.R. Allen (WAM) for providing the colour photograph of Scorpaenopsis obtusa, Karsten E.
Hartel and R. Passion (MCZ) for data and photographs of the holotype of Scorpaena axillaris, W.N. Eschmeyer (CAS) for valuable
information on scorpionfishes, H. Imamura (the Hokkaido University Museum, Japan) for valuable information on the phylogeny of
Scorpaenopsis and reviewing the initial manuscript, and S.J.
Raredon (USNM) for data and the photograph of the holotype of S.
obtusa. We are also grateful to the following persons and institutions for specimen loans: J. Maclaine (BMNH); J.E. Randall, L.
O’Hara and A. Suzumoto (BPBM), W.N. Eschmeyer, D. Catania
and J.D. Fong (CAS), T. Yoshino (URM), and J.B. Hutchins, S.
Morrison and G. Moore (WAM). This study was supported in partby a postdoctoral fellowship grant awarded to the senior author by
the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Research
Abroad (Tokyo, Japan).

Cybium 2005, 29(3)Taxonomic characters of Scorpaenopsis obtusa and S. gibbosa
REFERENCESBLISS R., 1883. - Descriptions of new species of Mauritian fishes.
Trans. Roy. Arts. Sci. Maurice (N.S.), 13: 45-63.
ESCHMEYER W.N. (ed), 1998. - Catalog of Fishes. Vol. 1. Introductory Materials, Species of Fishes, A-L. 958 p. San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences.
ESCHMEYER W.N. & J.E. RANDALL, 1975. - The scorpaenid
fishes of the Hawaiian Islands, including new species and newrecords (Pisces: Scorpaenidae). Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (ser. 4),
40: 265-334.
FRICKE R., 1999. - Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion,
Mauritius, Rodriguez). An annotated Checklist with Descriptions of new Species. 759 p. Köenigstein: Koeltz ScientificBooks.
IMAMURA H., 2004. - Phylogenetic relationships and new classification of the superfamily Scorpaenoidea (Actinopterygii: Perciformes). Spec. Div., 9: 1-36.
LEVITON A.E., GIBBS Jr. R.H., HEAL E. & C.E. DAWSON,
1985. - Standards in herpetology and ichthyology: Part I. Standard symbolic codes for institutional resource collections in
herpetology and ichthyology. Copeia, 1985: 802-832.
MOTOMURA H., 2002. - First record of a scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), Scorpaenopsis ramaraoi, from New Caledonia.
Cybium, 26: 237-238.
MOTOMURA H., 2004a. - Occurrence of Scorpaenopsis venosa(Scorpaenidae) on the Saya de Malha Bank, Indian Ocean.
Ichthyol. Res., 51: 188-189.
MOTOMURA H., 2004b. - Scorpaenopsis insperatus, a new
species of scorpionfish from Sydney Harbour, New South
Wales, Australia (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae). Copeia,
2004: 546-550.
MOTOMURA H., YOSHINO T. & N. TAKAMURA, 2004. Review of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaenopsis (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) in Japanese waters with three newrecords and an assessment of standard Japanese names. Jpn. J.
Ichthyol., 51: 89-115. [in Japanese with English abstract]
POSS S.G., 1999. - Scorpaenidae. In: FAO Species Identification
Guide for Fishery Purposes. The living marine Resources of thewestern central Pacific. Vol. 4. Bony Fishes, part 2 (Mugilidae
to Carangidae) (Carpenter K.E. & V.H. Niem, eds), pp. 22912352. Rome: FAO.
RANDALL J.E. & W.N. ESCHMEYER, 2002 (dated 2001). Revision of the Indo-Pacific scorpionfish genus Scorpaenopsis,with descriptions of eight new species. Indo-Pac. Fish., (34): 179.

Reçu le 6 octobre 2003.
Accepté pour publication le 6 novembre 2004.

301