Revision of the genus Parapterois (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) and resurrection of Parapterois nigripinnis (Gilchrist 1904)

Abstract

A taxonomic revision of the genus Parapterois (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) resulted in recognition of three valid species, Pa. heterura (Bleeker 1856) (type locality: Indonesia), Pa. macrura (Alcock 1896) (India) and Pa. nigripinnis (Gilchrist 1904) (South Africa). Previously regarded (as Pterois nigripinnis) as a junior synonym of Pterois heterurus Bleeker 1856, the lastmentioned is readily distinguishable from its congeners by having interrupted or wavy white lines and/or spots present below the eye (vs. solid white lines in congeners) and the pectoral-fin axilla with many white spots (vs. spots absent). Although Pa. macrura is most similar to Pa. heterura, the two species can be distinguished from each other by several morphometric characters, including the relative position of the orbit (with respect to the top of the nasal protuberance and the first dorsal-fin base), and the number of spinules on the cheek scales. Parapterois heterura is widely distributed in the eastern Indian and western Pacific oceans, whereas Pa. macrura and Pa. nigripinnis are restricted to the Arabian and Laccadive seas, and the southwestern Indian Ocean (east coasts of Mozambique and South Africa), respectively. Pterois jordani Regan 1905, Ebosia starksi Franz 1910, Pterois tanabensis Tanaka 1918 and Ebosia pavo Schmidt 1931, all described from Japan, are regarded as junior synonyms of Pt. heterurus. Pterois natalensis von Bonde 1923 (type locality: South Africa) is synonymized under Pt. nigripinnis. Lectotypes are designated for Pt. macrura and Pt. nigripinnis, and a key to species of Parapterois is provided.

Systematics of lionfishes (Scorpaenidae: Pteroini) using molecular and morphological data

“…Mandrytsa (2001) synonymized Nemapterois with Dendrochirus; meanwhile, he listed several genera as junior synonyms of Pterois, including Macrochirus, Pseudomonopterus, and Pteroleptus. In total, five pterion genera are currently considered valid, including Brachypterois Fowler, 1938, Dendrochirus Swainson, 1839, Ebosia Jordan and Starks, 1904, Parapterois Bleeker, 1876, and Pterois Oken, 1817 species (Motomura, 2004a;Allen and Erdmann, 2008;Matsunuma and Motomura, 2016a;Matsunuma and Motomura, 2016b;Nelson et al, 2016;Matsunuma and Motomura, 2019;Matsunuma and Motomura, 2022).…”