Objective record of Pterois russelii (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) from the Red Sea

Full text

Objective record of Pterois russelii
(Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) from the Red Sea
by
Mizuki MATSUNUMA* (1), Sergey V. BOGORODSKY (2, 3),
Hiroyuki MOTOMURA (4) & Ahmad O. MAL (5)
Cybium 2016, 40(4): 333-337.
(1) Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, 1551-8 Taira, Nagasaki, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan.
(2) Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt a. M., Germany.
(3) Station of Naturalists, Omsk, Russia. [ic187196@yandex.ru]
(4) The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan. [motomura@kaum.kagoshima-u.ac.jp]
(5) Marine Biology Department, Faculty of Marine Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
[aomal@kau.edu.sa]
* Corresponding author [k1139853@kadai.jp]
Ichthyological note – Note ichtyologique
© SFI
Received: 17 Jan. 2016
Accepted: 9 Feb. 2016
Editor: P. Béarez
Résumé. – Signalement objectif de Pterois russelii (Scorpaenidae:
Pteroinae) en mer Rouge.
Un seul spécimen de Pterois russelii, collecté à Jizan, en Ara-
bie Saoudite, confirme le précédent signalement sans preuve de
cette espèce en mer Rouge. Des comparaisons de P. russelii avec
ses congénères de la mer Rouge sont fournis.
Keywords. – Scorpaenidae - Pterois russelii - Lionsh - Saudi Ara-
bia - Distribution - Morphology.
The Plaintail Turkeysh Pterois russelii Bennett, 1831, one of
the twelve valid species of the genus (Matsunuma and Motomu-
ra, 2014, 2015), has been recorded from many Indo-West Pacic
localities, from the East coast of Africa eastward to Australia and
northward to Taiwan (Smith, 1957; Poss, 1999). Frøiland (1972),
in an unpublished PhD dissertation from the University of Ber-
gen, Norway, recorded the species from the Red Sea on the basis
of a single specimen [TAU (Tel Aviv University, Israel) NS 1114]
collected from Eilat, Gulf of Aqaba, Israel. Although his descrip-
tion of the Eilat specimen agreed with features of P. russelii (see
Remarks), that specimen could not be found in the TAU collection
and is apparently missing (M. Goren, pers. com.), making conr-
mation of its identity impossible. Although Dor (1984) and Goren
and Dor (1994) followed Frøiland (1972) by including P. russelii in
their checklists of Red Sea shes, Golani and Bogorodsky (2010),
in their comprehensive checklist of Red Sea fishes, considered
Frøiland’s (1972) record of P. russelii to be a misidentication of
Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828). Subsequently, Debelius (1998), in
his eld guide to the animals of the Red Sea and adjacent waters,
stated that P. russelii is distributed in the Arabian and Red seas,
although his photograph of the species was taken from the Gulf
of Oman. Accordingly, no records of P. russelii from the Red Sea
are supported by currently available specimens. A single specimen
of P. russelii (Fig. 1), recently collected off Jizan, Saudi Arabia, is
therefore described herein, being conrmation of the species occur-
rence in the Red Sea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Measurements generally followed Motomura (2004b, c), with
head width, head depth, maxillary depth and body depth at the anal-
n origin following Motomura (2004a), Motomura et al. (2005b,
2006a, b), and Matsunuma et al. (2013), respectively. Counts
generally followed Motomura et al. (2005a-c) and Motomura and
Johnson (2006); predorsal scale and cheek scale counts followed
Motomura et al. (2006b) and Matsunuma and Motomura (2013),
respectively. The last two soft rays of the dorsal and anal ns were
counted as single rays. Counts and measurements were made on the
left side wherever possible, except for pectoral-n rays (counted on
both sides). Head spine terminology follows Randall and Eschmey-
er (2002: fig. 1), Motomura (2004c: fig. 1), and Matsunuma and
Motomura (2014: fig. 1). Supplemental preopercular spine and
lateral lacrimal spine terminology follows Eschmeyer (1965) and
Motomura and Senou (2008: g. 2), respectively. Standard length
is abbreviated as SL. The description of P. russelii was based on the
Red Sea specimen, data from non-Red Sea specimens being used
for comparisons. Records from the Red Sea only are cited in the
synonym list of P. russelii. Institutional abbreviations follow Sabaj
Pérez (2014), with the following addition: Marine Biology Depart-
ment, Faculty of Marine Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jed-
dah, Saudi Arabia (KAU).
Comparative materials examined. – Pterois antennata: 96 specimens
(14.0-153.9 mm SL) listed in Matsunuma and Motomura (2014, 2015).
Pterois cincta: 31 spms (47.1-159.4 mm SL) listed in Matsunuma and
Motomura (2015) with the following addition: TAU 4006, 93 mm SL, Eilat,
Israel, 1960 (photograph and n ray counts examined). Pterois miles: 17
spms (65.4-282.9 mm SL): Thailand: KAUM-I. 33255, 151.1 mm SL;
KAUM-I. 33256, 167.0 mm SL; KAUM-I. 33375, 95.4 mm SL; PMBC
3397, 173.3 mm SL; PMBC 20209, 71.7 mm SL; PMBC 20901, 65.4 mm
SL; PMBC 25198, 161.0 mm SL. Indonesia: NCIP (uncat.), 120.2 mm SL;
NCIP 2734, 190.0 mm SL. Reunion: MNHN 6598, 247.2 mm SL, syntype
of Pterois muricata Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829. Saudi Ara-
bia: SMF 34717, 134.2 mm SL. Indian Ocean (cited locality unknown):
MZS Pis502, 92.1 mm SL; MZS Pis3394, 114.5 mm SL. Red Sea (cited
locality unknown): MNHN 6597, 282.9 mm SL, syntype of P. muricata;
ZMB 791, 121.3 mm SL; ZMB 800, 251.6 mm SL. Doubtful locality:
FMNH 18067, 139.1 mm SL (Samoa). Pterois mombasae: 35 spms (26.1-
160.1 mm) listed in Matsunuma and Motomura (2014, 2015). Pterois rus-
selii: 122 spms (44.2-240.7 mm SL): Taiwan: ASIZP 61498, 87.3 mm SL;
ASIZP 61877, 77.0 mm SL; ASIZP 64781, 144.5 mm SL; ASIZP 64895,
178.9 mm SL; ASIZP 64899, 108.8 mm SL; ASIZP 64949, 123.1 mm SL;
FMNH 89152 (2 spms), 109.0-137.0 mm SL; HUMZ 4958, 149.5 mm SL;
HUMZ 80661, 82.0 mm SL; HUMZ 80662, 124.0 mm SL; HUMZ 80663,

Objective record of Pterois russelii from the Red Sea Ma t s u n u M a e t a l .
334 Cybium 2016, 40(4)
68.5 mm SL; HUMZ 80664, 74.9 mm SL; HUMZ 80665, 67.1 mm SL;
KAUM-I. 39215, 132.5 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39216, 137.0 mm SL; KAUM-I.
39217, 118.4 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39218, 150.6 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39219,
130.4 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39221, 128.0 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39222, 101.8 mm
SL; KAUM-I. 39223, 134.9 mm SL; KAUM-I. 39224, 137.8 mm SL;
KAUM-I. 39226, 120.1 mm SL; NMMB-P 4241, 193.1 mm SL; NMMB-
P 4246 (2), 179.4-189.3 mm SL; NMMB-P 5069, 86.2 mm SL; NTUM
1421 (2), 189.4-217.5 mm SL; NTUM 3314, 199.5 mm SL; NTUM 3458,
172.8 mm SL; NTUM 3459, 240.7 mm SL; NTUM 3460, 144.7 mm SL;
NTUM 3461, 169.8 mm SL; NTUM 3462, 142.2 mm SL; NTUM 3464,
72.4 mm SL; NTUM 6926, 125.0 mm SL; NTUM 7693, 85.2 mm SL.
China: NMW 98236, 151.3 mm SL; NSMT-P 54635, 167.1 mm SL;
NSMT-P 69324, 44.2 mm SL; NSMT-P 70043, 180.2 mm SL. Gulf of
Tonkin: FAKU 100040, 172.4 mm SL; FAKU 100041, 191.2 mm SL;
FAKU 100049, 171.6 mm SL. Vietnam: HUMZ 190454, 146.0 mm SL;
HUMZ 190607, 78.6 mm SL; MNHN 6569, 207.1 mm SL; NSMT-P 69332,
64.1 mm SL. Thailand: KAUM-I. 23103, 157.2 mm SL; KAUM-I. 32890,
113.9 mm SL; NMW 9222, 98.0 mm SL; NSMT-P 56795, 161.2 mm SL;
PMBC 9933, 59.2 mm SL. Malaysia: FMNH 76285 (2), 57.0-64.5 mm SL;
FMNH 76286, 140.8 mm SL; HUMZ 37740, 190.4 mm SL; HUMZ 37801,
113.8 mm SL; HUMZ 37827, 150.5 mm SL; HUMZ 38417, 206.1 mm SL;
HUMZ 38419, 175.3 mm SL; HUMZ 38440, 144.5 mm SL; HUMZ 38446,
207.2 mm SL; HUMZ 38450, 137.9 mm SL; HUMZ 38473, 125.3 mm SL;
HUMZ 38515, 206.5 mm SL; HUMZ 38516 159.6 mm SL; HUMZ 38565,
221.9 mm SL; HUMZ 38624, 148.8 mm SL; HUMZ 46851, 205.1 mm SL;
HUMZ 46871, 104.4 mm SL; HUMZ 46928, 160.6 mm SL; HUMZ 46929,
188.9 mm SL; HUMZ 46934, 145.4 mm SL; HUMZ 47043, 170.6 mm
SL; HUMZ 47067, 196.6 mm SL; KAUM-I. 16926, 141.5 mm SL; NMW
98220, 153.0 mm SL. Philippines: ZUMT 39596, 154.1 mm SL. Indo-
nesia: BMNH 1880.4.21.108, 121.4 mm SL, syntype of Pterois kodipun-
gi Bleeker, 1852; RMNH 5868 (11), 54.2-177.0 mm SL, syntype of P.
kodipungi; NMW 28219 (2), 60.9-139.5 mm SL; NMW 98223, 150.1 mm
SL; RMNH 662, 128.3 mm SL; NMW 98237 (3), 79.3-110.5 mm SL; ZMB
17750, 113.5 mm SL. Singapore: NMW 22306 (2), 125.2-132.7 mm SL;
NMW 98235, 123.8 mm SL. South China Sea: HUMZ 13880, 160.6 mm
SL. Myanmar: MNHN 6558, 180.4 mm SL, holotype of Pterois genis-
erra Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829; PMBC 25199, 147.3 mm
SL. India: MNHN 7440, 184.1 mm SL; NMW 98221, 87.3 mm SL; ZMB
10847, 142.1 mm SL; ZSI 3452/1, 141.9 mm SL; ZSI 11548-51 (4), 100.5-
122.2 mm SL. Madagascar: AMS I. 28128-001, 159.7 mm SL; MNHN
1998-1495, 112.6 mm SL. Locality unknown: HUMZ 33638, 166.7 mm
SL; HUMZ 33639, 196.1 mm SL; NCIP 2956, 110.2 mm SL.
Pterois russelii Bennett, 1831
(Fig. 1)
Pterois russelii Bennett, 1831: 128 (Coromandel coast, India,
eastern Indian Ocean; no types preserved): Frøiland, 1972: 80
(Eilat, Israel, Red Sea); Dor, 1984: 86 (Red Sea; listed); Goren and
Dor, 1994: 21 (Red Sea; listed).
Material examined
SMF 35752 (KAU 14-168), 99.7 mm SL, off Jizan, Saudi
Arabia, Red Sea (16°58.569’N, 42°20.764’E), over soft substrata,
30-32 m, S.V. Bogorodsky et al., bottom trawl, 1 Nov. 2014.
Description
Dorsal-n rays XII, 11 (abnormal condition; usually XIII, 11 in
the species; see Remarks); anal-n rays III, 7; pectoral-n rays 13
(both sides); pelvic-n rays I, 5. Pored lateral-line scales 28; scale
rows in longitudinal series 72; scales above lateral line 10; scales
below lateral line 14; scale rows between last dorsal-n spine base
and lateral line 9; scale rows between sixth dorsal-n spine base
and lateral line 8; predorsal-n scale rows 4; oblique cheek scale
row 6; horizontal cheek scale row 3; vertical cheek scale row 4.
Gill rakers 5 + 11 (2 rakers on hypobranchial). Branchiostegal rays
6. The following morphometrics are expressed as percentage of SL:
body depth at pelvic-n origin 33.2; body depth at anal-n origin
28.1; body width 20.9; head length 38.1; head width 11.0; head
depth 15.1; snout length 13.7; interorbital width at mid-orbit level
9.0; interorbital width at preocular spine base 7.6; upper-jaw length
6.3; maxillary depth 6.0; postorbital length 18.5; suborbital depth
4.7; predorsal-n length 32.3; preanal-n length 69.2; prepelvic-n
length 37.8; caudal-peduncle length 19.1; caudal-peduncle depth
11.2; rst dorsal-n spine length (DS) 19.2; second DS 28.9; third
DS broken; fourth DS 36.8; fth DS 36.2; sixth DS 38.2; seventh
DS 38.2; eighth DS 36.7; ninth DS 34.7; tenth DS 26.2; eleventh
DS 16.4; twelfth DS 15.3; first dorsal-fin soft ray length 21.0;
longest dorsal-n soft ray length 36.5 (fourth); rst anal-n spine
Figure 1. – Fresh specimen of Pterois rus-
selii from the Red Sea [SMF 35752 (KAU
14-168), 99.7 mm standard length, off Jizan,
Saudi Arabia]. Photo by S. V. Bogorodsky.

Ma t s u n u M a e t a l . Objective record of Pterois russelii from the Red Sea
Cybium 2016, 40(4) 335
length (AS) 7.8; second AS 13.7; third AS 17.0; rst anal-n soft
ray length 32.2; longest anal-n soft ray length 38.4 (third); rst
pectoral-n ray length 103.1; pelvic-n spine length 19.1; longest
pelvic-n soft ray length 51.9 (second); caudal-n length 48.6.
Body oblong, moderately compressed; depth moderate, slightly
less than longest dorsal-n spine length. Caudal peduncle relative-
ly short, low, its depth less than its length. Head large, its length
greater than body depth. A pair of short barbels on tip of snout, the
length of barbel subequal to anterior nostril ap. A short, pointed
ap with a median expansion on posterior edge of low membranous
tube associated with anterior nostril. Supraocular with a moderate-
ly long tentacle with wavy lateral ridges, its length 1.2 times orbit
diameter. Two small elongate, leaf-like aps on preopercle margin
below third preopercular spine base; upper and lower aps on tips
of fourth and fth preopercular spine, respectively. An extremely
small skin ap anterodorsally on orbit surface; its length shorter
than anterior nostril diameter. Two elongate, leaf-like aps on ven-
tral margin of lacrimal; anterior and posterior aps on tips of ante-
rior and posterior lacrimal spine, respectively; posterior ap rela-
tively long (its length 1.5 times anterior ap length), its tip extend-
ing beyond posterior margin of maxilla when laid back. Head and
body covered with small cycloid scales (ctenoid scales absent);
snout, both jaws, mandible, lacrimal, interopercular and occipital
area without scales. Suprapostorbital region bordered by pterotic,
posttemporal and parietal-nuchal spine base generally naked but
with few small scattered cycloid scales.
Mouth moderately large, slightly oblique, forming an angle of
ca. 30° to horizontal axis of head. Anterior region of maxilla with
a poorly developed median lateral ridge; upper edge of posterior
maxilla swollen laterally, forming a low ridge; posterior margin
of maxilla broadly rounded, just reaching level with anterior mar-
gin of pupil. Symphyseal gap separating premaxillary teeth bands
broader than width of each band; both jaws with a narrow band of
small, slender conical teeth; about 6-8 and 7 tooth rows at widest
portion of upper and lower teeth bands, respectively; small conical
teeth forming blunt V-shaped patch on vomer, about 6 tooth rows
at widest portion; palatine teeth absent. Underside of dentary with
three sensory pores on each side, middle pore presented by complex
of three minute pores; two small pores on each side of symphysial
knob of lower jaw on each side. Gill rakers on rst gill arch short,
tips slightly expanded.
Dorsal prole of snout moderately steep, forming an angle of
ca. 40° to horizontal axis of head. Nasal spine single. Preocular
spine with a spinous point directed dorsally. Supraocular spine with
a spinous point covered by base of supraocular tentacle. Postocular
spine large with a spinous point directed laterally (absent on right
side). Interorbital ridge poorly developed, diverging anteriorly and
posteriorly in dorsal view; interorbital canal narrow, shallow. Coro-
nal and tympanic spines absent. Parietal with a single ridge with
a spinous point on posterior end. Nuchal with a single ridge com-
pletely fused to parietal ridge, with a single spinous point on pos-
terior end. Occipital area shallow, undeveloped. Postorbital spine
absent. Sphenotic region with one (two on right side) small spine.
Pterotic, lower posttemporal and cleithrum with a short ridge with
a small spine. Lateral lacrimal ridge short, without spine. Subor-
bital ridge divided into anterior and posterior portions, end of each
portion with a spinous point. Anterior lacrimal spine with a single
spinous point, directed ventrally. Posterior lacrimal portion plate-
like with a spinous point distally. Preopercle with four (ve) spines,
upper three (two) spines prominent, lower two spines reduced and
skin-covered; no supplemental spine. Opercular spine absent.
Dorsal-, anal- and pelvic-n spines with deep grooves (most
likely associated with venom glands). Origin of first dorsal-fin
spine above pterotic spine base; bases of rst and second dorsal-
n spines closer than those of subsequent adjacent spines; sixth or
seventh spine longest; interspinous membranes of dorsal n deeply
incised. All but rst dorsal-n ray branched; fourth ray longest, its
length distinctly less than that of longest dorsal-n spine; posteri-
ormost ray free from caudal peduncle. Origin of rst anal-n spine
below last (twelfth) dorsal-n spine base; third spine longest. Anal-
n soft rays all branched; third ray longest, its length slightly longer
than that of longest dorsal-n soft ray; posteriormost ray free from
caudal peduncle. Pectoral n extremely long, its length greater than
SL, its tip far beyond level of caudal-n base; membranes incised,
but reaching along rays to tips; lower four rays slightly thickened.
Pelvic-n spine base below second dorsal-n spine base; all soft
rays branched; second soft ray longest, its tip reaching level of fth
anal-fin soft ray base when laid along body; posteriormost soft
ray with membranous connection to abdomen for approximately
one-fth of ray length. Caudal n moderately long, its length 1.3
times head length, with rounded contour; three (dorsal series dam-
aged) procurrent rays, two (dorsal series damaged) segmented
unbranched rays, and ve segmented branched rays in dorsal and
ventral series.
Colour of fresh specimen (based on gure 1). – Ground colour
of head and body whitish with pale red tinge, more whitish ven-
trally. Snout side with two narrow brown bands, anterior band run-
ning along bulge on snout, posterior band from preocular, extend-
ing onto anterior lacrimal ap. Three bars below eye: anteriormost
bar narrow, orange, reaching from anteroventral margin of orbit to
posterior lacrimal ap base; middle bar relatively broad, somewhat
orange-brown, reaching from supraocular tentacle base, across orbit
ventrally, to posteroventral margin of preopercle; posteriormost bar
narrow, pale orange, reaching from posteroventral margin of orbit
to posterior margin of preopercle. Four orange to brown bands
saddling nape, extending onto opercle: anteriormost band brown,
curved, relatively broad at level of occipital region; second band
paler, at level of origin of parietal-nuchal spine base; third band
brown, broad at level of central portion of parietal-nuchal ridge;
posteriormost band paler, narrower below parietal-nuchal spine
base. Supraocular tentacle and orbit surface ap black; other skin
aps on head same as head ground colour. Eye vivid yellow (iris
tinged with red by blood); pupil dark blue. Twelve or more (uncer-
tainty due to damage posteriorly on body) transverse brown bars
on body side, alternating broad and narrow. Body bars extending
basally onto dorsal and anal ns. Thorax without band markings.
A few small, poorly defined, white spots scattered along lateral
line. A large, irregular, rounded blotch (slightly larger than pupil)
behind dorsoposterior margin of the opercle. Dorsal-n ray color-
ation similar to ground colour of body, membrane more reddish;
soft-rayed portion without any distinct marking but a minute black
spot on membrane between rst and second rays. Anal-n colora-
tion similar to that of dorsal n but dusky distally, with a few small
white rounded blotches basally; three minute black spots scattered
on soft-rayed portion. Pectoral-fin coloration similar to that of
ground colour of body, membrane of upper and posterior portion of
n strongly blackish, with about seven poorly dened bands. Pel-
vic-n spine white, soft rays and membrane black, with numerous
small white rounded to oval spots (smaller than iris). Caudal-n
coloration faded due to specimen condition, without spots.
Remarks
The examined specimen agreed with descriptions and gures
of P. russelii given in previous studies (Smith, 1957; Poss, 1999;
Matsunuma, 2011, 2013) in having III, 7 anal-n rays; 13 pecto-
ral-n rays; 72 scale rows in longitudinal series; coronal and tym-

Objective record of Pterois russelii from the Red Sea Ma t s u n u M a e t a l .
336 Cybium 2016, 40(4)
panic spines absent; the head and body not covered with ctenoid
scales; the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal and anal ns and cau-
dal n without numerous spots, being distinct rows; and the pelvic
n with numerous white spots. Although the specimen unusually
possessed 12 dorsal-n spines, 13 being normal for the species, the
former is regarded as an abnormal condition with no further sig-
nicance. The specimen, relatively small in size of 99.7 mm SL,
possessed well developed supraocular tentacles, of length 120% of
orbit diameter, whereas large specimens recorded in previous stud-
ies (e.g., Smith, 1957: 24.5 cm total length specimen from South
Africa; Randall, 1995: 34 cm specimen from Oman) possesses
either reduced supraocular tentacles or none at all. Examination of
the Red Sea and other examined specimens of P. russelii indicated
that the supraocular tentacles become reduced and shorter with
growth in the species (Fig. 2). The Red Sea specimen was collected
by trawl off Jizan from depths of 30-32 m over soft substrata far
from coral reefs and islands, typical habitat of P. russelii, which is
rarely seen close to coral reefs.
Only three species of Pterois were listed by Goren and Dor
(1994) in their checklist of Red Sea fishes: P. miles, P. radiata
Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829, and P. russelii. Later, Mat-
sunuma and Motomura (2015) concluded that P. radiata in the Red
Sea was in fact the closely related species Pterois cincta Rüppell,
1838, the latter having long been included in the synonymy of the
former. Although Debelius (1998) reproduced an underwater pho-
tograph of Pterois mombasae (Smith, 1957) from Jordan, that was
subject to a locality error (D. Golani, pers. com.). Among the con-
geners occurring in the Red Sea, P. russelii most resembles P. miles
in general body appearance, both species sharing a large body
(exceeding 20 cm), the orbit highly set on the head (and broadly
separated from the suborbital ridge) and the upper pectoral-n rays
neither lamentous nor free from membranes. However, P. russelii
can be distinguished from P. miles in having more dorsal-n [10-12
(strongly modally 11) versus 9-11 (10) in the latter] and anal-n
soft rays [6-8 (7) versus 6 (rarely 5)], and slightly fewer pectoral-n
rays [12-14 (13) versus 13 or 14 (14)] (Schultz, 1986; this study).
Moreover, P. russelii differs from P. miles by having slightly fewer
scale rows in the longitudinal series (69-91 versus 79-96 in the lat-
ter) and scale rows below the lateral line (13-20 versus 17-23), but
those counts also overlapped. Coloration is the most useful feature
for separating the two species, P. russelii possessing a plain caudal
n and the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal and anal ns without
spots (rarely a few spots present), whereas those ns had numerous
rounded dark spots, forming distinct rows in P. miles (Poss, 1999;
this study). Pterois cincta, also endemic to the Red Sea, is readily
distinguishable from P. russelii by having 15 or more pectoral-n
rays (versus 12-14 in the latter), 51-57 scale rows in the longitu-
dinal series (versus 69-91), the orbit close to the suborbital ridge
(versus well separated) and the upper pectoral-n rays with short
associated membrane and lamentous (versus not lamentous or
free from membrane) (Smith, 1957; Matsunuma and Motomura,
2014, 2015; this study).
The record of P. russelii from the Red Sea (Eilat, Israel) in Frøi-
land (1972) was supported by a drawing of that species. However,
the latter was reproduced from Smith (1957: g. 6) and not based
on the examined specimen (TAU NS 1114, 146.0 mm SL), which
was characterized as follows: XIII, 11 (as XIII + 11 1/2) dorsal-
fin rays; 13 pectoral-fin rays; III, 7 (as III + 7 1/2) anal-fin rays;
and 88 scale rows in the longitudinal series under “Material exam-
ined”. However, the “Description” included: dorsal-n rays XIII,
11 (10-12); anal-n rays III, 7(8); pectoral-n rays 13 (12-14); and
scale rows in the longitudinal series 70-88, clearly indicating either
a number of specimens examined or published data included, as
opposed to a single specimen. Notwithstanding, the number of n
rays given specically for the Eilat specimen agreed with those of
P. russelii rather than P. miles. Moreover, Frøiland (1972) described
that specimen as possessing a few spots on the caudal-n and soft-
rayed portions of the dorsal and anal ns, features consistent with
P. russelii. Accordingly, Frøiland’s (1972) specimen can be identi-
ed as having been P. russelii. Although a second specimen (TAU
4006) from Eilat had previously also been identied as P. russelii,
it is now recognized as P. cincta, having XII, 10 dorsal-fin rays,
III, 6 anal-n rays and 17 pectoral-n rays. Therefore, the specimen
described herein represents the sole currently available example of
P. russelii from the Red Sea. Occasional records of P. russelii in the
Red Sea might be explained by its typical habitat in open areas with
silty sand bottom rarely visited by divers, in contrast to P. cincta
and P. miles usually inhabiting coral reefs (Allen and Erdmann,
2012; Matsunuma and Motomura, 2015).
Acknowledgments. – We are deeply grateful to M. McGrouther, A. Hay,
and S. Reader (AMS); K.-T. Shao, Y.-C. Liao, and M.-Y. Lee (ASIZP);
J. Maclaine and O. Crimmen (BMNH); H. Endo, T. Yamakawa, N. Nakaya-
ma (BSKU); T. Nakabo, Y. Kai (FAKU), T. Nakabo and N. Muto (formerly
FAKU); K. Swagel (FMNH); M. Yabe, H. Imamura, and T. Kawai (HUMZ);
H. Senou (KPM); P. Pruvost, R. Causse, Z. Gabsi, C. Ferrara, and P. Béarez
(MNHN); M.-D. Wandhammer (MZS); Z. Arifin, R. Pratiwi, M. Adrim,
I. Alhakim, and K. Wibowo (NCIP); H.-C. Ho (NMMB); M. Gomon and
D. Bray (NMV); A. Palandacic (NMW); K. Matsuura and G. Shinohara
(NSMT); I.-S. Chen (NTOU); K.-Y. Wu (NTUM); K. Hatooka (OMNH);
U. Satapoomin (PMBC); R. de Ruiter (RMNH); R. Bills and O. Gon
(SAIAB); H. Zetzsche (SMF); T. Yoshino (formerly URM); J. Williams
(USNM); P. Bartsch and C. Lamour (ZMB); and K. Sakamoto (ZUMT)
for their kind hospitality during the rst author’s visits to their institutions.
We are indebted to D. Catania (CAS), A. Suzumoto (BPBM), T. Noichi
(CMNH), and R. Feeney (LACM) for providing opportunities to examine
specimens. The scientific research cooperation between King Abdulaziz
University (KAU), Faculty of Marine Sciences (FMS), Jeddah, Saudi Ara-
bia, and the Senckenberg Research Institute (SRI), Frankfurt, Germany, in
Figure 2. – Relationship between supraocular tentacle length and standard
length (mm) in Pterois russelii, showing ontogenetic change of the former.

Ma t s u n u M a e t a l . Objective record of Pterois russelii from the Red Sea
Cybium 2016, 40(4) 337
the framework of the Red Sea Biodiversity Project, during which the present
material was collected, was funded by KAU GRANT NO. “D/1/432-DSR”.
The authors acknowledge, with thanks, KAU and SRI for technical and
nancial support as well as A. Al-Aidaroos (KAU), F. Krupp (SRI and Qatar
Natural History Museum, Doha), and T.J. Alpermann (SRI) for his compre-
hensive assistance. We especially thank M. Goren (Tel Aviv University) for
providing information on the Frøiland specimen; students and volunteers of
KAUM for curatorial assistance and sampling of specimens; and G. Hardy
(Ngunguru, New Zealand) for reading the manuscript and providing help
with English. This study was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scien-
tic Research (A: 26241027, B: 24370041 and C: 23580259 and 26450265)
from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan (JSPS);
the JSPS Asian Core Program, “Establishment of Research and Education
Network on Coastal Marine Science in Southeast Asia”; the “Coastal Area
Capability Enhancement in Southeast Asia Project” of the Research Insti-
tute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan; and the “Biological Proper-
ties of Biodiversity Hotspots in Japan” project of the National Museum of
Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Japan.
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