Ecuadorian Deep-sea Scorpionfish

description

Description. Measurements are presented in Table 1. Dorsal fin with 12 spines and 9 soft rays; all soft rays branched; length of first spine 2.2 in second spine; third spine longest, its length 1.2 that of orbit diameter; fourth to eleventh spines progressively shorter; length of eleventh spine 1.6 in twelfth; membrane of spinous portion of dorsal fin moderately notched; posterior branch of last dorsal soft ray joined by membrane to caudal peduncle for slightly more than one-fourth of its length. Anal fin with 3 spines and 5 soft rays; all soft rays branched; second and third spines much longer than first; second spine abnormally twisted, its length subequal to third; second soft ray longest, its length 1.6 that of third anal-fin spine; skin on anterior part of fin fleshy; posterior branch of last soft ray joined by membrane to caudal peduncle for less than one-fourth of its length. Pectoral fins each with 22 rays, the uppermost ray and lower 6 rays unbranched, remaining rays branched; second and third rays longest; posterior margin of fin bilobed, third to fourteenth rays progressively shorter, then increasing in length to seventeenth, then decreasing again; five last rays in lowe

Description of a new scorpionfish (Scorpaenoidei, Sebastolobinae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A medium-sized scorpionfish with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin spines 12; vertebrae 26; tympanic spines present; upper-jaw lip thin, not covering the premaxillary tooth band laterally; maxilla unscaled; 50 scale rows in longitudinal series; body moderately deep (30.9 % of SL); orbit diameter large (12.8 % of SL); third dorsal-fin spine long (15.3 % of SL); pelvic-fin spine short (9.6 % of SL); head profile slightly convex; gas bladder absent; coloration bright red, with no distinct dark markings on back or spinous portion of dorsal fin.

Description of a new scorpionfish (Scorpaenoidei, Sebastolobinae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

distribution

Distribution and habitat. Currently known only from off Puerto López, Manabí, Ecuador. Probably a deepwater species, presumable rarely caught by the longline fisheries off Puerto López.

Description of a new scorpionfish (Scorpaenoidei, Sebastolobinae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

etymology

Etymology. Species name based on that of the collector, Johnny Vera, for his invaluable help in collecting fish. Common names suggested are: Ecuadorian Deep-sea Scorpionfish (English), rascacio espinoso del Pacífico (Spanish), rascasse épineuse du Pacifique (French), and brujo espinoso de profundidad (local name, Ecuador).

Description of a new scorpionfish (Scorpaenoidei, Sebastolobinae) from the tropical eastern Pacific