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Vol. 46 No. 1, 2007
Scorpaena pepo, a New Species of Scorpionfish (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from Northeastern Taiwan, with a Review of S. onaria Jordan and Snyder
Hiroyuki Motomura1,*, Stuart G. Poss2, and Kwang-Tsao Shao3
1The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
224552 Arcadia Farm Road, Pass Christian, MI 39571, USA
3Reseach Center for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Hiroyuki Motomura, Stuart G. Poss, and Kwang-Tsao Shao (2007) A new species of scorpionfish, Scorpaena pepo,
is described on the basis of 4 specimens collected from off the
northeastern coast of Taiwan in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, at a
depth of ca. 200 m. The new species is closely related to S. onaria
with which co-occurs in Taiwan. The 2 species are distinguished from
other Indo-Pacific species of Scorpaena by the following combination of
characters: the lateral surface of the lacrimal with a single spine,
the posterior margin of the anterior lacrimal spine with an additional
spine, the median interorbital ridge well developed, embedded cycloid
scales covering the anteroventral surface of the body and the
pectoral-fin base, a high body depth (36.4-45.1% of SL), 43-48
longitudinal scale series, and the lateral line sloping steeply
downward above the anterior 1/2 of the pectoral fin. The new species
can be distinguished from S. onaria
by having 16 pectoral-fin rays; 46-48 longitudinal scale series; the
posterior margin of the maxilla extending well beyond a vertical
through the posterior margin of the orbit; the highest portion of the
median interorbital ridge greater in height than the interorbital
ridges; the posterior end of the base of the 1st suborbital spine
located below the eye, between the posterior margins of the pupil and
orbit; the supraocular tentacle being shorter than the pupil diameter,
its length 1.7-3.9% (mean 3.1%) of SL; and the head and body when fresh
yellowish-orange, with numerous scattered small distinct black spots,
except on ventral surface. Scorpaena pepo sp. nov. is a large species (attaining at least 245.1 mm SL), whereas S. onaria
from the northwestern Pacific Ocean is relatively small (the largest
specimen, 187.9 mm SL). Two geographical populations regarded as S. onaria are compared in detail with S. pepo.
Key words: Scorpaenidae, New species, Scorpaena pepo, Taiwan, Scorpaena onaria.
*Correspondence: E-mail:motomura@kaum.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
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