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May 25 COVER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS In situ observation of scorpionfish in ence of bony plates and spines on the head1. The genus Scorpaenopsis comes under the subfamily Scorpaeninae seagrass meadows of the Gulf of belonging to the family Scorpaenidae. There are 418 spe- Mannar, India cies belonging to 56 genera reported under the family Scorpaenidae, and 185 species of 20 genera under the 2 R. Jeyabaskaran*, S. Lavanya, Shelton Padua subfamily Scorpaeninae . The genus Scorpaenopsis Heckel, 1837 comprises 32 and V. Kripa species3 characterized by the presence of strongly com- ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, pressed head; three or more suborbital spines; a combina- Kochi 682 018, India tion of 12 dorsal fins and lack of palatine teeth4–6. So far nine species of Scorpaenopsis have been reported in The seagrass meadows of Sethukarai coast are unique 7 in nature, housing high faunal diversity compared to India, viz. Scorpaenopsis cirrosa , Scorpaenopsis gibbo- 8 9 other coastal areas. A rare live specimen of bandtail sa , Scorpaenopsis lactomaculata , Scorpaenopsis ma- scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta was found near a crochir10, Scorpaenopsis neglecta3, Scorpaenopsis burrow dug by an alpheid shrimp. Taxonomy, mor- oxycephala7, Scorpaenopsis ramaraoi11, Scorpaenopsis phometric and meristic characters, adaptive, beha- roseus7 and Scorpaenopsis venosa12. Among these, S. vioural and colour-switching physiological camouflage trait of the S. neglecta are elaborated in this commu- nication. Visual in situ documentation of feeding ha- bits of scorpaenids and their preying behaviour, Table 1. Morphometric measurements of Scorpaenopsis neglecta especially that of lionfish Pterois volitans preying on Morphological characters Value (mm) goby fish is presented. Mutualism exhibited by goby fish Amblyeleotris gymnocephala with the alpheid Total length (TL) 82 shrimp Alpheus rapax and the importance of habitat Standard length (SL) 73 protection from anthropogenic activities are also dis- Maximum body depth (H) 27.9 cussed. Minimum body depth (h) 8.67 Maximum body width 17.19 Minimum body width 3.82 Keywords: Camouflage, mutualism, scorpionfish, sea- Head length (CL) 28 grass meadows, underwater survey. Pre-dorsal distance (PD) 27 Pre-pectoral distance (PP) 31.4 SEAGRASS meadows act as a nursery, shelter and feeding Pre-pelvic distance (PV) 23 ground for many species of fishes and invertebrates. The Pre-anal distance (PA) 52 Dorsal fin base length (LD) 44.6 seagrass beds of Sethukarai coast are unique in nature, Anal fin base length (LA) 11.74 housing high faunal diversity compared to other coastal Pectoral fin base length 14.3 areas. The habitat is dominated by the seagrass species Pectoral fin length (LP) 19 Cymodocea serrulata and Syringodium isoetifolium. Ventral fin length (LV) 18.61 Unlike other seagrass habitats in Palk Bay (PB) and Gulf Caudal fin length (LC) 16.54 First dorsal spine height 5.53 of Mannar (GOM), the sea bottom is found to be coarse Soft dorsal fin height 7.59 sandy with coral rubbles and shell fragments. It has been First anal spine height 7.32 observed that this is the only seagrass bed along the Second anal spine height 3.6 southeast coast with a large number of spiny lobsters, Third anal spine height 13.02 Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus, 1758). A limited number Soft anal fin height 7.4 Ventral spine height 3.75 of local fishermen collect these lobsters by handpicking, Soft pelvic fin length 6.95 which forms their main source of income. Several scor- No. of rays in the dorsal fin (D) 19 pionfish were observed in the seagrass beds of Sethukarai No. of rays in the pectoral fin (P) 18 coast. These are generally found in coral reefs and rocky No. of rays in the ventral fin (V) 6 habitats, and have the tendency to live on the seafloor. No. of rays in the anal fin (A) 9 No. of rays in the caudal fin (C) 15 Scorpionfish are well known for the stinging venomous Head depth 23.95 spines present on their head and body. The spines contain Head width 24.91 neurotoxic venom. When the spines pierce an individual, Eye diameter (O) 6.61 the venom gets injected immediately and it can be Pre-orbital distance (PO) 10.28 extremely painful. The name ‘Scorpionfish’ is because of Post-orbital distance (OLO) 15.88 Inter-orbital distance (IO) 3.82 this painful sting. Scorpionfish belong to the family Upper jaw length 18.52 Scorpaenidae, under the order Scorpaeniformes, consist- Lower jaw length 16.92 ing of more than 1400 species characterized by the pres- Maxilla width 0.91 Snout length 11.5 Caudal peduncle depth 9.72 *For correspondence. (e-mail: [email protected]) CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 118, NO. 10, 25 MAY 2020 1615 RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Figure 1. Map showing the location of Scorpaenopsis neglecta distribution (source map: Political Map of India, Survey of India, 2017, 7th edn). roseus is not a valid species; now it has been accepted as sa, S. macrochir, S. neglecta and S. obtusa are known as S. venosa. The bandtail scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neg- humpback species due to the humped appearance of lecta Heckel, 1837 is also called yellowfin or bandtail strongly elevated body just behind the head4,14. These five stingfish. This species has been reported in 13 countries species are almost exactly similar with minor variations. of the tropical Indo-Pacific region3. The occurrence of The colour pattern on the middle of the inner side of the this species in India was first reported by the American pectoral fin in S. neglecta and S. microchir is similar with Ichthyologist J. E. Randall. He collected a single speci- small black spots. The other three species have larger men of size 8.4 cm SL; 10.8 cm TL from Krusadai Island black spots. The upper opercular spine is divided into two of the Gulf Mannar on 5 March 1975. Randall had taken or more spines in S. diabolus, S. macrochir and S. neglecta. the specimen along with him and deposited it in USA (SU The bandtail scorpionfish S. neglecta could be easily 14660)13. Since then, the species has not been reported identified based on the ridge above the eyes which is ser- from any of the Indian seas. rated and by the divided spines on the head4. Underwater exploratory survey of the seagrass ecosys- Scorpaenids are sluggish creatures, which can change tem in the GOM and PB was initiated by Central Marine their colour and blend with their surrounding environ- Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi during 2014. Since ment15. This defensive mechanism helps them to escape then, regular seagrass ecosystem surveys have been car- from predators and while hunting their prey. During the ried out and the S. neglecta specimen was not found any- underwater survey, a coral skeleton-like fish was sighted where during the initial forays. During an underwater near a burrow dug by an alpheid shrimp. It was later iden- survey in seagrass beds of Sethukarai coast (9°14′55″N tified as bandtail scorpionfish S. neglecta. On first look, lat., 78°50′53″E long.) (Figure 1) on 21 November 2017, its appearance was totally confusing as to whether it was a live specimen of S. neglecta was found at 75 cm depth. a fish at all or fossilized coral skeleton covered with After detailed underwater observations, the specimen was bivalve shells. We could not come to any conclusion even hand-picked using a zip-lock polyethylene bag. Morphome- after repeated observations also. Hence we disturbed the tric and meristic characters (Table 1) were analysed based fish by touching it with dead coral fragment and then ob- on the methods followed by Randall and Eschmeyer4, and served the black band in the caudal fin (tail). The fish Motomura et al.14. The specimen was later deposited in the was motionless, lying in a sandy area in the seagrass bed. Marine Biodiversity Museum of CMFRI (GB.38.24.40.6). The body colour was dull white blended with dead Acro- The species of genus Scorpaenopsis is divided into pora coral skeleton (Figure 2 a). The caudal fin was three groups. Five species, namely S. diabolus, S. gibbo- curled and oriented towards the left side of the body. The 1616 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 118, NO. 10, 25 MAY 2020 RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Figure 2. a, Bandtail scorpionfish camouflaged like a coral skeleton. b, Camouflaged bandtail scorpionfish in upright position. c, Lionfish approaching the burrow site. d, Upside-down position of lionfish with enlarged fins. eyes of the fish were closed and appeared as a bulged chromophore cells enabled rapid colour change of the stalk-like structure. All the spines on the head and body fishes through distribution of fluorescent pigments in the were in a depressed condition, making it difficult to dis- skin. Various factors like ecological implications, hor- tinguish them. When the fish was disturbed by slight monal control, dietary factors and visual feedback are force, it moved a distance of 8 cm, became upright in also responsible for rapid colour change in camouflaged position and again became motionless (Figure 2 b). Then fishes22. The specimen colour of the camouflaged band- the eyes were open, body scales were visible, dorsal fins tail scorpionfish S. neglecta was compared with photo- and other spines were in erected condition. Mottled black graphs of specimens from other Indo-Pacific regions23. colour appeared on the skin of fish (Figure 3 a). The fish The colour of the fish was similar to the Japanese speci- was then caught by hand using zip-lock polyethylene bag. men, but was different from those of the Indonesian and Immediately it flashed the pectoral fins and the inner side Australian specimens which exhibited bright yellow co- of these fins came in full view exhibiting bright yellow lour24,25.
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