Redescription of Parascorpaena moultoni (Whitley, 1961) (Actinopterygii, Scorpaenidae), with new distribution records for the species

By

Cabebe-Barnuevo, Roxanne
Wibowo, Kunto
Motomura, Hiroyuki

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1219

Pages

271--285

Subjects

COI , Morphology , new record , Scorpaena mcadamsi , Scorpaena moultoni , Scorpionfish

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1219.134970

 

Abstract

Although the status of Parascorpaena moultoni (Whitley, 1961) is now well established, the morphology of the species has been re-examined, with new diagnostic features identified. Typically 15 or 16 pectoral-fin rays are present, together with two suborbital ridges, each with a single spine and the origin of the first ridge posterior to the second, well-developed interorbital ridges forming a loop, an undeveloped occipital pit, no scales on the dorsal- and anal-fin soft ray bases. The known range of the species includes Taiwan, the Philippines, Micronesia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji in addition to previously reported Australia, New Caledonia, and Japan.