Dendrochirus brachypterus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Genus: Dendrochirus
Species:
D. brachypterus
Binomial name
Dendrochirus brachypterus
(Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms[2]
  • Pterois brachyptera Cuvier, 1829

Dendrochirus brachypterus, the dwarf lionfish, short-finned turkeyfish, shortspine rockcod or shortspine scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and lionfishes. It is found in the Indo-Pacific. It is sometimes found in the aquarium trade.

Taxonomy

Dendrochirus brachypterus Was first formally described in 1829 as Pterois brachyptera by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with no type locality given.[3] This species is the type species of the brachypterus species complex within the genus Dendrochirus.[4] The specific name means “short finned”, an allusion to the relatively short pectoral fins compared to Dendrochirus zebra which Cuvier first described in the same publication.[5]

Description

Dendrochirus brachypterus has 13 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays in its dorsal fin, the middlespeines of the dorsal fin are shorter than the depth of the body, and there are 3 spines and 5 soft rays in the anal fin.[2] The background colour is dusky mottled brown to reddish-brown boreken by darker bars on the body, the pectoral fins are distinctly banded. There is a short tentacle over the eye and leaf-like appendages on the head and along the lateral line which vary in their development. There are no filaments on the pelvic fins.[6] There are black spots edged with red on the filaments extending from the dorsal spines and there are 8-10 dark bars on pectoral fins.[7] This species attains a maximum published total length of 17 cm (6.7 in).[2]

Distribution and habitat

Dendrochirus brachypterus has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution from the eastern coast of Africa from the Red Sea south to South Africa and eastwards to Samoa, north to the Philippines and south to Australia.[1] In Australian waters this species occurs from the Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia to Sydney in New South Wales, as well as Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea.[6] The dwarf lionfish is found at depths between 1 and 80 m (3 ft 3 in and 262 ft 6 in) in reef flats and shallow lagoons, where there are weed-covered rocks on sandy substrates.[2]

Biology

Dendochirus brachypterus is a nocturnal predator of small crustaceans.[1] The adults are fequently found on sponges while small aggregations of up to 10 juveniles frequent reef outcrops.[2] During the day it is known to shelter in caves and crevices and among sponges .[6] The males and females form pairs to mate and the females have specialised structures on the ovaries, these includeg stalk-like egg creating lamellae and secretory cells in the epithelium.[2] The dorsal fin spines are venomous.[6]

Utilisation

Dendochirus brachypterus is used as a food fish in some subsistence fisheries.[1] It is occasionally seen in the aquarium trade,[8] it has laid eggs in captivity but raising the young has proved very difficult.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. (2016). "Dendrochirus brachypterus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T69793633A69800927. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69793633A69800927.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Dendrochirus brachypterus" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Dendrochirus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  4. ↑ Matsunuma, M.; H. Motomura; and S. V. Bogorodsky (2017). "Review of Indo-Pacific dwarf lionfishes (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) in the Dendrochirus brachypterus complex, with description of a new species from the western Indian Ocean". Ichthyological Research. 64 (4): 369–414.
  5. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (2 October 2021). "Order Perciformes (Part 9): Suborder Scorpaenoidei: Family Scorpaenidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. (2017). "Dendrochirus brachypterus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Dendrochirus brachypterus Scorpaenidae Dwarf Lionfish". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Bob Goemans (2012). "Dendrochirus brachypterus (Cuvier, 1829) Dwarf Lionfish, Shortfin Lionfish". Saltcorner Fish Library. Bob Goemans. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish Dendrochirus brachypterus". Maidenhead Aquatics. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
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