Family SCORPAENIDAE

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Introduction

The family Scorpaenidae comprises three subfamilies: Caracanthinae, Pteroinae and the Scorpaeninae (Shinohara & Imamura, 2005; and Eschmeyer & Fong, 2014). Previously, Ishida (1994) recognised two subfamilies: Pteroinae and the Scorpaeninae, while Nelson (2006) included three subfamilies as tribes of the Scorpaeninae. Scorpionfishes are well represented in all tropical and temperate seas with more than 225 species belonging to about 25 genera. In Australia and external territories, 74 described species and 18 genera are known.

Most species inhabit coral and rocky reefs or deeper offshore waters on the continental shelf. Most species are ambush predators, usually found motionless on the bottom, where they blend well with the surroundings, waiting for passing prey of small fish and invertebrates. The maximum size ranges from about 7 cm to 50 cm standard length.

Shinohara & Imamura (2005) studied Caracanthus. The subfamily Pteroinae is being revised by M. Matsunuma. Johnson & Motomura (2008) treated species found in southern Australia, and many tropical species are treated in Poss (1999) and Allen & Erdmann (2012).

General References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Eschmeyer, W.N. & Fong, J.D. 2014. Species of Fishes by family/subfamily. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 19 May 2014. http://research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp

Ishida, M. 1994. Phylogeny of the suborder Scorpaenoidei (Pisces: Scorpaeniformes). Bulletin of Nansei National Fisheries Research Institute 27: 1-112

Johnson, J.W. & Motomura, H. 2008. Family Scorpaenidae. pp. 488 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [488]

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Poss, S.G. 1999. Families Scorpaenidae, Caracanthidae, Aploactinidae. pp. 2291-2358 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790.

Shinohara, G. & Imamura, H. 2005. Anatomical description and phylogenetic classification of the orbicular velvetfishes (Scorpaenoidea: Caracanthus). Ichthyological Research 52(1): 64-76

Common Name References

Poss, S.G. 1999. Families Scorpaenidae, Caracanthidae, Aploactinidae. pp. 2291-2358 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2291] (Lionfishes, Rockfishes, Scorpionfishes, Stingfishes)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [90] (Scorpionfishes, Stonefishes, Waspfishes)

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