New Scorpionfish

[andywg]

Well, I saw this guy at the weekend and decided last night that despite my initial thoughts, I do have room for him somewhere, so I sent nina out to pick him up. The shop had him labelled up as a "Pop-Eye Sea Goblin" but in a surprise turn of events also had a scientific name for him: Inimicus filamentosus.

Now I am not so sure on that species. As you will see below he has some pretty cool antler-like growths from just behind the eyes that are lacking in any pictures I have seen of I. filamentosus. The closest match I can find would be Pteroidichthys amboinensis or maybe even one of the Rhinopias spp.

 

[roka64]

Another common name is Sea Goblin, he should have legs and walk across the sand, if he indeed is an Inimicus filamentosus, which is what he looks like to me.
I will move this to the SW ID to see if we can get a definite ID. Beautiful fish, BTW!

 

[Innovator]

I would ask the lfs which supplier they got it from, call the supplier, and ask if they have an I.D. on the fish in question. Most will at least pinpoint a region collected from if anything. The lfs shouldn't have a prob. giving you the name of their supplier since you are not competing for business and in need of proper identification.

 

[Fluff]

I agree it looks more like a Pteroidichthys amboinensis and that would be my call as well. A google search of Ambon Scorpionfish should get you some info. Some are more filamented than others but I believe you nailed your own ID.
Looks like a really nice specimen, good luck with it.

 

[roka64]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the assist!

 

[andywg]

I have asked elsewhere and it is almost definitely Pteroidichthys amboinensis. The supraorbital filaments (eye tentacles) are the main giveaway that stop it being Inimicus spp.

Apparently they are not great captive pets with a number not living past a year. The main problem for me right now is the smaller size. Can't see a 12cm max fish like this doing well in a tank with a 24cm max Pterois radiata.

Ho-hum. More tanks it is then

 

[squawkbert]

I doubt the Lion will bother it (I don't think they're immune).

What I don't get is why all of these fish (Scorpions, Lion, Stone etc) are occupying so many different taxons - they strike me as being very closely related despite the cosmetic differences (same general body shapes, sizes, feeding habits, defense mechanism) - I wonder if anyong has done a DNA cross match on them. I'd bet that they're very close...

 

[andywg]

Scorps and lions both occur in the same family (Scorpaenidae) but just belong to different subfamilies (Scorpaeninae and Pteroinae). Stonefish are, again, just another subfamily (Synanceinae) within Scorpaenidae. Most families are very similar, look at all the catfish in the Doradidae family as an example.

It has been suggested that Pteroinae should be elevated to family status as a result of their differences (they are generally less benthic than Scorpaeninae).

The lionfish are far more stalking in feeding habits (it is suggested the large pectoral rays and fins are used to block escape routes of prey) rather than hide and wait like the Scorpaeninae which often bury themselves and strike from there.

It will be this, and differences in ray/spine numbers and scale counts that will differentiate the families and sub-families.

 

[squawkbert]

Scorps and lions both occur in the same family (Scorpaenidae) but just belong to different subfamilies (Scorpaeninae and Pteroinae). Stonefish are, again, just another subfamily (Synanceinae) within Scorpaenidae. Most families are very similar, look at all the catfish in the Doradidae family as an example.

It has been suggested that Pteroinae should be elevated to family status as a result of their differences (they are generally less benthic than Scorpaeninae).

The lionfish are far more stalking in feeding habits (it is suggested the large pectoral rays and fins are used to block escape routes of prey) rather than hide and wait like the Scorpaeninae which often bury themselves and strike from there.

It will be this, and differences in ray/spine numbers and scale counts that will differentiate the families and sub-families.

For some reason, I thought most of these species ahd the same numbers of spines... maybe it makes more sense than I thought.