Research Article |
Corresponding author: Carole C. Baldwin ( baldwinc@si.edu ) Academic editor: Kyle Piller
© 2016 Carole C. Baldwin, Diane E. Pitassy, D. Ross Robertson.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Baldwin CC, Pitassy DE, Robertson DR (2016) A new deep-reef scorpionfish (Teleostei, Scorpaenidae, Scorpaenodes) from the southern Caribbean with comments on depth distributions and relationships of western Atlantic members of the genus. ZooKeys 606: 141-158. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.606.8590
|
A new species of scorpionfish, Scorpaenodes barrybrowni Pitassy & Baldwin, sp. n. which is described, was collected during submersible diving in the southern Caribbean as part of the Smithsonian’s Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP). It differs from the other two western Atlantic species of the genus, S. caribbaeus and S. tredecimspinosus, in various features, including its color pattern, having an incomplete lateral line comprising 8–10 pored scales, tending to be more elongate, usually having the 11th–12th pectoral-fin rays elongate, and by 20–23% divergence in the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) DNA barcode sequences. It further differs from one or the other of those species in head spination and in numbers of soft dorsal-fin rays, pectoral-fin rays, and precaudal + caudal vertebrae. Inhabiting depths of 95–160 m, the new species is the deepest western Atlantic member of the genus (S. caribbaeus occurs at depths < 35 m and S. tredecimspinosus from 7 to 82 m). DNA barcode data do not rigorously resolve relationships among the ten species of the genus for which those data are available.
Manned submersible, Smithsonian Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP), Substation Curaçao, ocean exploration, integrative taxonomy, phylogeny
Scorpionfishes of the genus Scorpaenodes occur circumglobally on rocky or reef substrates in tropical to temperate waters (
Specimens of the new species were collected using Substation Curaçao’s (http://www.substation-Curaçao.com) manned submersible Curasub. The sub has two flexible, hydraulic arms, one of which is equipped with a quinaldine/ethanol-ejection system and the other with a suction hose. Anesthetized fish specimens were captured with the suction hose, which empties into a vented plexiglass cylinder attached to the outside of the sub. At the surface, the specimens were photographed, tissue sampled, and preserved. Preserved specimens were later photographed to document preserved pigment pattern and X-rayed with a digital radiography system. Counts and measurements follow
Tissue samples for DNA Barcoding were stored in saturated salt-DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) buffer (
GenSeq nomenclature (
Curaçao, eastward of Substation Curaçao downline, 12.0832°N, 68.8991°W, D. R. Robertson, B. Brandt, A. Driskell, R. Loendersloot, K. Stewart, 30 May 2011.
A species of Scorpaenodes distinguished by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin soft rays 8; pectoral-fin rays 16–17, rays 11–12 (from uppermost ray) noticeably longer than rest in smallest four type specimens; caudal-fin rays 25–27; vertebrae 24 (8 precaudal + 16 caudal); spines on suborbital ridge 4 (rarely 5); secondary suborbital ridge spines absent; two prominent round to oblong pores in suborbital sensory canal immediately ventral to suborbital ridge; coronal, interorbital, upper post temporal and postorbital spines absent; lateral line incomplete, 8-10 pored scales extending from behind supracleithral spine to mid body; cirri associated with nasal, supraocular, and parietal spines and present on posteroventral projection of lacrimal and upper left quadrant of orbit; no cirri associated with postocular, tympanic, supracleithral, and lower posttemporal spines; body relatively elongate, depth at origin of dorsal fin 30–32% SL, depth at caudal peduncle 9–10% SL. Color in life bright orange-red with several reddish-brown bars on posterior portion of trunk; pectoral fin with vivid yellow spots interspersed with bright orange-red spots.
Dorsal fin XIII, 8, last soft ray split to base but supported in serial association by a single pterygiophore. Anal fin III, 5, last soft ray split to base but serially supported by single pterygiophore. Pectoral-fin rays 16–17, 17 (left)/17 (right) in holotype and three paratypes, 17/16 in one paratype. Upper-limb gill rakers 5–6 (2 rakers and 3–4 rudiments), lower limb 9–12 (8–9 rakers and 1–3 rudiments) = 14–18 total, 6 + 12 = 18 in holotype. Vertical scale rows 34–45, 41 in holotype. Pored lateral-line scales 8–10, 9 in holotype, scales extending from behind supracleithral spine to mid body. Vertebrae 8 + 16 = 24.
Morphometric data for type material given in Table
Morphometric characters of Scorpaenodes barrybrowni, sp. n., expressed as percentages of standard length. Means (in parentheses) include values of the holotype.
HOLOTYPE | PARATYPES | |
---|---|---|
|
n = 4 | |
Standard length (mm) | 37.1 | 30.4–46.6 |
Head length | 47.7 | 44.4–46.0 (45.9) |
Snout length | 12.1 | 11.5–13.6 (12.4) |
Orbit diameter | 14.0 | 13.5–14.5 (13.9) |
Interorbital width | 4.7 | 4.3–5.4 (4.8) |
Body depth | 31.0 | 30.0–32.2 (31.1) |
Caudal peduncle depth | 9.9 | 8.9–10.0 (9.6) |
Caudal peduncle width | 14.5 | 13.9–16.6 (14.9) |
Upper jaw length | 24.0 | 21.9–23.4 (22.9) |
Pre-Pelvic length | 41.0 | 37.7–39.8 (39.3) |
Pre-Dorsal length | 45.1 | 42.9–46.4 (44.8) |
Pre-Anal length | 76.3 | 71.5–76.2 (74.5) |
First dorsal spine length | 6.2 | 5.7–6.5 (6.1) |
Second dorsal spine length | 7.8 | 8.3–11.3 (9.8) |
Longest dorsal spine length | 16.2 | 15.2–18.1 (16.3) |
Twelfth dorsal spine length | 3.2 | 4.0–6.6 (4.6) |
Thirteenth dorsal spine length | 11.1 | 10.7–11.8 (11.2) |
Longest soft dorsal ray | 14.6 | 15.6–16.6 (15.9) |
First anal spine length | 9.4 | 8.3–10.9 (9.9) |
Second anal spine length | 16.4 | 17.4–19.8 (18.4) |
Third anal spine length | 14.0 | 14.9–15.3 (14.9) |
Longest soft anal ray | 18.3 | 17.1–20.6 (19.0) |
Caudal fin length | 29.4 | 25.7–30.1 (28.4) |
Pectoral fin length | 31.8 | 29.7–35.3 (32.9) |
Pelvic spine length | 18.9 | 17.4–19.4 (18.7) |
Pelvic fin length | 23.7 | 23.7–24.9 (24.3) |
Dorsal fin originating above upper edge of opercle, fourth or fifth spines longest; penultimate shortest; fin membranes between spines incised. Anal fin with 3 spines, second longer, more robust than first or third. Uppermost pectoral-fin ray unbranched, second branched or unbranched (branched in holotype), next 7–9 rays branched (8 in holotype), ventralmost 7–8 rays unbranched (7 in holotype). Longest pectoral-fin rays usually in position 11–12 from uppermost ray and usually conspicuously longer than surrounding rays (rays in ventral half of fin broken on left side of holotype, 11thand 12th rays on right side conspicuously elongate). In largest type specimen (
No prominent knob at symphysis of lower jaw. Four distinct mandibular pores, the first very small and situated immediately posterior to symphysis. Gill rakers relatively short but slender.
Pseudobranch present but with poorly formed lamellae. Premaxilla and dentary each with band of small teeth in multiple rows, bands broadest near symphysis. Vomer with chevron-shaped patch of teeth in 3–4 rows. No teeth on palatine, pterygoids, or tongue. Swimbladder present.
Color description based on image of a living specimen in an aquarium brought to the surface alive from 114 m (
Comparison of living specimens of A Scorpaenodes barrybrowni sp. n., paratype,
Color of holotype in alcohol (Fig.
Known from Curaçao and Bonaire in the southern Caribbean, and Dominica in the Windward Islands, eastern Caribbean.
Collected off Curaçao at 95–160 m on rocky substrata. Off Dominica,
Named in honor of Barry Brown, Substation Curaçao and free-lance photographer (www.coralreefphotos.com), who has patiently, diligently, and expertly taken photographs of hundreds of fishes and invertebrates captured alive by DROP investigators. He has generously shared his photographs, and they have enhanced numerous scientific and educational publications. An example of his work is here featured in Fig.
Stellate Scorpionfish, in reference to the yellow, stellate chromatophores on the pectoral fin in life and the radiating pigment markings accentuating the eye. Spanish common name: Escorpión Estrellado.
Figure
Range and average Kimura two-parameter distance summary for species of Scorpaenodes based on cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences analyzed genetically in this study. Intraspecific values are in bold.
S. caribbaeus | S. guamensis | S. parvipinnis | Scorpaenodes sp. | S. varipinnis | S. barrybrowni sp. n. | S. albaiensis | S. kelloggi | S. rubrivinctus | S. corallinus | S. minor | S. tredecimspinosus | |
S. caribbaeus | 0.0–0.5 (0.2) | |||||||||||
S. guamensis | 20.0–20.3 (20.2) | NA | ||||||||||
S. parvipinnis | 20.1–20.3 (20.2) | 0,2 | NA | |||||||||
Scorpaenodes sp. | 21.8–22.0 (21.9) | 15,1 | 15,1 | NA | ||||||||
S. varipinnis | 19.4–19.8 (19.6) | 14,3 | 14,3 | 14,8 | NA | |||||||
S. barrybrowni | 21.5–23.2 (21.8) | 15.5–15.7 (15.6) | 15.2–15.3 (15.3) | 19.6–19.8 (19.7) | 19.5–19.7 (19.6) | 0.0–0.2 (0.1) | ||||||
S. albaiensis | 18.3–18.5 (18.4) | 18,8 | 18,5 | 20,7 | 18,2 | 16.3–16.5 (16.4) | NA | |||||
S. kelloggi | 18.7–19.1 (18.9) | 18,6 | 18,3 | 20,9 | 18,6 | 16.1–16.3 (16.2) | 0,8 | NA | ||||
S. rubrivinctus | 18.7–19.0 (18.9) | 14,7 | 14,5 | 18,5 | 15,9 | 14.5–14.7 (14.6) | 14,7 | 14,9 | NA | |||
S. corallinus | 18.5–18.9 (18.7) | 19,3 | 19,5 | 20,5 | 18,4 | 16.3–16.5 (16.4) | 21,5 | 21,7 | 19,2 | NA | ||
S. minor | 21.1–21.6 (21.3) | 17,2 | 17,4 | 18,4 | 17,7 | 15.1–15.3 (15.2) | 17,2 | 0,2 | 15,4 | 15,6 | NA | |
S. tredecimspinosus | 18.8–19.7 (19.2) | 17.5–18.1 (17.6) | 17.7–18.3 (17.8) | 18.7–19.0 (18.9) | 20.2–20.4 (20.2) | 18.4–19.0 (18.8) | 19.4–19.7 (19.7) | 19.8–20.3 (20.1) | 18.2–18.6 (18.3) | 18.8–19.4 (19.0) | 19.9–20.2 (19.0) | 0.0–0.5 (0.2) |
The presence of thirteen dorsal-fin spines and absence of palatine teeth support the placement of the new species in the genus Scorpaenodes (
Comparison of morphological characters in Scorpaenodes barrybrowni, sp. n., S. caribbaeus, and S. tredecimspinosus.
Scorpaenodes barrybrowni sp. n. n = 5 |
Scorpaenodes caribbaeus n = 15 |
Scorpaenodes tredecimspinosus n = 13 |
|
---|---|---|---|
Maximum SL (mm) | < 50 | > 60 | < 50 |
Body depth/ SL | 30–32% | 33–39% | 32–41% |
Caudal peduncle depth/ SL | 9–10% | 10–12% | 11–12% |
Soft dorsal-fin rays | 8 | 9 | 9 |
Pectoral-fin rays | 16–17 | 18–20 | 16–17 |
Caudal-fin rays | 25–27 | 23–24 | 23–24 |
Pre-caudal + caudal vertebrae | 8+16 | 9+15 | 8+16 |
Pored lateral line scales | 8–10 | 22–25 | 22–23 |
Suborbital spines | 4–5 | 3–6 | 1–3 |
Secondary suborbital spines | Absent | Present | Absent |
Suborbital ridge pores | 2, large | Multiple, small | Multiple, small |
Coronal spines | Absent | Usually present | Usually present |
Interorbital spines | Absent | Usually present | Usually present |
Upper posttemporal spines | Absent | Usually present | Sometimes present |
Gill raker shape | Slender | Stout | Stout |
Pseudobranch lamallae | Stout | Slender | Slender |
Pectoral fin color | Orange-red and yellow | Brownish red and yellow | Dark red and pink |
Additional characters that differentiate S. barrybrowni from S. caribbaeus include fewer soft dorsal-fin rays (8 in S. barrybrowni vs. 9 in S. caribbaeus); usually fewer pectoral-fin rays (16–17 vs. 17–20); absence of secondary suborbital spines (vs. usually 1 or more), different vertebral counts (8 precaudal + 16 caudal vs. 9 + 15), fewer spine-associated cirri on head (S. barrybrowni lacks cirri associated with postocular, tympanic, supraclethral, and lower posttemporal spines, S. caribbaeus has cirri associated with most spines on the head). Scorpaenodes barrybrowni is smaller, reaching approximately 47 mm SL vs. 85 mm SL in S. caribbaeus.
Additional characters that distinguish S. barrybrowni from S. tredecimspinosus include more suborbital spines (4–5 in S. barrybrowni vs. usually 2, occasionally 1 or 3, in S. tredecimspinosus) and fewer soft dorsal-fin rays (8 vs. 9). Both species reach a similar maximum size (47 vs. 45 mm SL).
Scorpaenodes caribbaeus, 15 specimens, 20.1–63.7 mm. BAHAMAS:
Scorpaenodes tredecimspinosus, 13 specimens, 20.7–44.8 mm. BAHAMAS:
Scorpaenodes barrybrowni is the ninth new fish species described from deep reefs of the southern Caribbean and discovered through manned submersible diving as part of the Smithsonian’s Deep Reef Observation Project – DROP (
Numerous other new fish and invertebrate species already discovered through exploratory submersible diving by DROP await description, and ongoing submersible diving in the southern and other parts of the Caribbean will almost certainly result in the continued discovery of new marine life. Globally, tropical deep reefs, which are below depths accessible with conventional scuba gear and above depths typically frequented by deep-diving submersibles, are diverse, underexplored ecosystems.
For contributing in various ways to this project, we thank the following (in alphabetical order): Bruce Brandt, Barry Brown, Cristina Castillo, Amy Driskell, Tico Christiaan, Rob Loendersloot, Dan Mulcahy, Sandra Raredon, Laureen Schenk, Adriaan Schrier, Barbara van Bebber, Lee Weigt, Jeff Williams, and Carol Youmans. Funding for the Smithsonian Institution’s Deep Reef Observation Project was provided internally by NMNH Research Programs to CCB, the Consortium for Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet to CCB, the Competitive Grants for the Promotion of Science program to CCB and DRR, and the Herbert R. and Evelyn Axelrod Endowment Fund for systematic ichthyology to CCB; and externally by National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration to CCB (Grant #9102-12). This is Ocean Heritage Foundation/Curaçao Sea Aquarium/Substation Curaçao (OHF/SCA/SC) contribution number 25.
Table Links between DNA voucher specimens, GenBank accession numbers, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of Scorpaenodes derived for use in this study. Other GenBank accession information is provided in the Materials and methods section. CUR = Curaçao, BAH = Bahamas.
Catalog Number/DNA Number | GenBank No. | GenSeq Designation |
---|---|---|
Scorpaenodes barrybrowni n. sp. | ||
|
KX419779 | genseq-1 COI |
|
KX419778 | genseq-2 COI |
|
KX459119 | genseq-2 COI |
|
KX459120 | genseq-2 COI |
|
KX459118 | genseq-2 COI |
Scorpaenodes tredecimspinosus | ||
|
KX419789 | genseq-4 COI |
|
KX419786 | genseq-4 COI |
|
KX419788 | genseq-4 COI |
Scorpaenodes caribbaeus | ||
|
KX419783 | genseq-4 COI |
|
KX419785 | genseq-4 COI |
|
KX419782 | genseq-4 COI |
|
KX419781 | genseq-4 COI |