FAMILY SCORPAENIDAE — SCHULTZ 17 



After the present study of this family had been completed and dur- 

 ing the period that Isaac Ginsburg was studying western Atlantic 

 scorpionfishes, we discussed the desirability of a uniform terminology 

 for the cranial spines of the family Scorpaenidae. Figure 2 in his 

 important paper, "Western Atlantic Scorpionfishes" (Smithsonian 

 Misc. Coll., vol. 121, No. 6, 1953) demonstrates that we have both 

 adopted the same terminology. (See also fig. 138.) 



KEY TO THE SCORPIONFISHES OP THE NORTHERN MARSHALL ISLANDS 



la. Dorsal fin connected by membrane to dorsal edge of caudal fin nearly halfway 

 out its length; body greatly compressed, its thickness through pectoral 

 bases about 2}^ to 3 times in the greatest depth; body nalied; dorsal rays 

 XII,x or xi; anal 111,6; pectoral rays xiv; pores in lateral line 21 or 22; gill 



rakers 5 or 6+1 + 12 Taenianotus triacanthus Lacepede 



16. Dorsal fin not membraneously connected with caudal fin; greatest thickness 

 of body through pectoral bases contained fewer than 2 times in greatest 

 depth. 

 2a. Front of snout next to premaxillary groove with 3 simple barbels, 1 median 

 and 1 on each side; branched caudal fin rays normally 5 + 5. 

 3a. Upper pectoral fin rays unbranched, as are all pectoral rays, much longer 

 than lower swollen unbranched rays, pectoral rays more or less 

 threadlike, usually (except in young) reaching past caudal fin; 

 dorsal spines elongate, somewhat flexible and much longer than 

 length of head. 

 4a. Pectoral fin with 16 to 18 unbranched rays; dorsal rays usually 

 XII, 11, anal 111,6; about 8 to 10 wide dark bars, often with 

 narrower bars between. 

 5a. Supraorbital tentacle plain blackish with white margin and tips 

 white; caudal peduncle with a single lengthwise dark blotch; no 

 narrow dark bars in the white area between wide dark bars; all 



fins plain pale Pterois radiata Cuvier and Valenciennes 



5b. Supraorbital tentacle barred with black and white ; caudal peduncle 

 with 2 or 3 vertical to oblique narrow dark bars; 3 narrow dark 

 bars (only one in young) in white area between wide dark bars; 

 soft dorsal and anal fins and caudal fin barred. 



Pterois antennata (Bloch) 

 46. Pectoral fin with 12 to 14, rarely 15, unbranched rays; dorsal rays 

 XIII, 11 or 12 and anal usually 111,7; from 17 to 30 vertical dark 

 bars. 

 6a. Pectoral rays usually 12 or 13; pel vies white with black spots; supra- 

 orbital tentacle shorter than diameter of pupil; dorsal edge of 

 pectoral base with a blackish blotch without white spot; under- 

 side of head usually plain pale without black lines or streaks; 



figure 138,K Pterois lunulata i" Tcmminck and Schlegel 



66. Pectoral rays usually 14 or 15; pel vies black with white spots; 

 supraorbital tentacle long, barred with black and white; dorsal 

 edge of pectoral base with a distinct white spot surrounded by 

 black; underside of head usually streaked with black. 



Pterois volitans (Linnaeus) 



"I Not collected by us In the northern Marshall Islands. 



