COMMENTS
v. 3.0 – 10 March 2022 view/download PDF
Family APISTIDAE Wasp Scorpionfishes
3 genera · 3 species
Apistops Ogilby 1911 ops, appearance, referring to similarity to, and original placement of, its one species in Apistus
Apistops caloundra (De Vis 1886) named for Caloundra, Queensland, Australia, type locality (occurs in the Indo-Pacific along Papua New Guinea, northwest Australia, and the Arafura Sea)
Apistus Cuvier 1829 from apistes, not to be trusted or perfidious, referring to long and mobile suborbital and preopercular spines, which can become “very offensive weapons that these fish use when you least expect it” (translation)
Apistus carinatus (Bloch & Schneider 1801) keeled, presumably referring to bony ridges or keels on head (“capitis carinis osseis pluribus”)
Cheroscorpaena Mees 1964 cheiros, hand, referring to pectoral fins consisting of nine rays connected by a membrane, followed ventrally by three detached simple rays of about the same length; scorpaena, scorpion, then placed in Scorpaenidae
Cheroscorpaena tridactyla Mees 1964 tri-, three; dactylos, finger, referring to three detached simple rays of pectoral fin
Family TETRAROGIDAE Waspfishes
17 genera · 44 species
Ablabys Kaup 1873 from the Greek ablabes, harmless, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to “blunt armament of the head” (translation), i.e., compared with sharper head spines on related genera
Ablabys binotatus (Peters 1855) bi-, two; notatus, marked, presumably referring to silvery-white spot (rose-red after death) on lateral line (one per side, for a total of two)
Ablabys gymnothorax Chungthanawong & Motomura 2018 gymnos, bare or naked; thorax, chest, referring to lack of scales on thorax
Ablabys macracanthus (Bleeker 1852) macro-, long or large; acanthus, thorn or spine, allusion not explained nor evident, perhaps referring to long dorsal-fin spines (a characteristic of the genus)
Ablabys pauciporus Chungthanawong & Motomura 2018 paucus, few; porus, pore, referring to fewer lateral-line pores (12-13) compared with A. taenianotus (20-25)
Ablabys taenianotus (Cuvier 1829) taenia, narrow flat band; notus, back, referring to long dorsal fin, extending from head to tail (per Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829)
Centropogon Günther 1860 kentron, thorn or spine; pogon, beard, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to “spiniferous” preorbital and preoperculum, creating the appearance of a spiny “beard”
Centropogon australis (Shaw 1790) southern, a fish of Australian waters
Centropogon latifrons Mees 1962 latus, wide or broad; frons, forehead, proposed as a subspecies of C. australis with a wider interorbital
Centropogon marmoratus Günther 1862 marbled, referring to yellowish body, marbled with brown
Coccotropsis Barnard 1927 opsis, appearance, similar to Coccotropus (Aploactinidae) but differing in having three anal-fin spines and four anal-fin rays (among other characters)
Coccotropsis gymnoderma (Gilchrist 1906) gymnos, bare or naked; derma, skin, referring to scaleless skin, “scales could be discerned in a piece of skin examined microscopically”
Cottapistus Bleeker 1876 combination of Cottus, genus of sculpins, referring to sculpin-like appearance, and Apistus (Apistidae), its previous genus
Cottapistus cottoides (Linnaeus 1758) –oides, having the form of: Cottus, genus of sculpins, described as a perch (Perca) with a sculpin-like appearance
Glyptauchen Günther 1860 glyptos, engraved; auchen, nape, presumably referring to “crown of the head with a deep saddle-like impression”
Glyptauchen panduratus (Richardson 1850) resembling a fiddle in outline, presumably referring to “elevation of the orbit, which rises in a semicircular protuberance, so high above the occiput as to give the hinder part of the head a relative depression like a Turkish saddle, and to render the snout and forehead almost vertical”
Gymnapistes Swainson 1839 gymnos, bare or naked, proposed as a subgenus of Apistes (=Apistus, Apistidae) with a “generally” scaleless body
Gymnapistes marmoratus (Cuvier 1829) marbled, referring to coloration in alcohol, with a “large and beautiful irregular marbling of purplish brown that extends over its fins as over the rest of its surface” (translation)
Liocranium Ogilby 1903 leios, smooth; cranium, skull, presumably referring to head of L. praepositum “entirely naked, without dermal appendages”
Liocranium pleurostigma (Weber 1913) pleuro-, side; stigma, mark or spot, referring to dark spot behind operculum
Liocranium praepositum Ogilby 1903 an officer (a noun, properly spelled praepositus), referring to “black shoulder bands,” described as a dusky band below second and third dorsal spines, passing downwards through eye, where it forks, and a broad black band from sixth and seventh spines to middle of appressed pectoral fin
Neocentropogon Matsubara 1943 neo, new, i.e., a new genus closely related to Paracentropogon (original genus of type species, P. aeglefinus) and similar to Centropogon as well
Neocentropogon aeglefinus (Weber 1913) similar in shape and color to Gadus (now Melanogrammus) aeglefinus (Gadiformes: Gadidae)
Neocentropogon affinis (Lloyd 1909) related, “closely allied” to Gymnapistes niger (=Tetraroge nigra), its presumed congener at the time
Neocentropogon japonicus Matsubara 1943 –icus, belonging to: Japan, proposed as a Japanese subspecies of aeglefinus (occurs in northwestern Pacific from South China Sea and Philippines north to southern Japan)
Neocentropogon mesedai Klausewitz 1985 of MESEDA, the Atlantis II-Deep Metalliferous Sediments Development Expedition (1977-1981), during which type was collected in the Red Sea in 1979
Neocentropogon profundus (Smith 1958) deep, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to capture of holotype at 146 m, in the stomach of Pristipomoides microlepis (=filamentosus, Lutjaniformes: Lutjanidae)
Neocentropogon trimaculatus Chan 1966 tri-, three; maculata, spotted, referring to three prominent blackish grey blotches, one immediately behind upper end of gill opening, a second one on back from behind fifth to eighth dorsal spines, and a third one, the largest, extending from tenth dorsal spine to third dorsal ray
Neovespicula Mandrysta 2001 neo-, new, i.e., a new genus related to Vespicula (=Trichosomus, diminutive of vespa, wasp, i.e., a waspfish), its one species previously placed in that genus
Neovespicula depressifrons (Richardson 1848) depressus, pressed down; frons, brow or forehead, referring to “considerably depressed” head, “the profile rising at an angle of only twenty-five degrees to the beginning of the dorsal”
Notesthes Ogilby 1903 notos, back; esthes, a garment, referring to “complete lepidosus [squamation] of the dorsal region”
Notesthes robusta (Günther 1860) stout or full-bodied, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to stouter body shape compared with Centropogon australis, its presumed congener at the time
Ocosia Jordan & Starks 1904 latinization of Okoze, Japanese vernacular for venomous scorpaenioid fishes
Ocosia apia Poss & Eschmeyer 1975 Latin for far away, referring to isolated insular type locality (Raoul Island, Kermedec Islands, South Pacific Ocean)
Ocosia dorsomaculata Chungthanawong & Motomura 2022 dorso-, dorsal; maculata, spotted, referring to blotch or blotches on spinous portion of dorsal fin
Ocosia fasciata Matsubara 1943 banded, referring to five irregular, broad dusky bands crossing body (in alcohol)
Ocosia possi Mandrytsa & Usachev 1990 in honor of ichthyologist Stuart G. Poss (b. 1950), “well-known” (translation) researcher of scorpaenioid fishes
Ocosia ramaraoi Poss & Eschmeyer 1975 in honor of the Kaza V. Rama-Rao (1940-?), Zoological Survey of India, Marine Biological Station (Madras), who collected type and is a student of Indian Ocean scorpaenioids
Ocosia sphex Fricke 2017 Greek for wasp, referring to wasp-like sting associated with its fin spines (characteristic of the family), and alluding to the vernacular name “waspfish”
Ocosia spinosa Chen 1981 spine, referring to spines on lateral surface of lachrymal and second orbital
Ocosia vespa Jordan & Starks 1904 Latin for wasp, referring to wasp-like sting associated with its fin spines (characteristic of the family)
Ocosia zaspilota Poss & Eschmeyer 1975 za-, very; spilota, spotted, referring to distinct large, brown spots on body
Paracentropogon Bleeker 1876 para-, near, closely related to Centropogon but distinguished (per Bleeker) by the absence of thorn-shaped occipital ridges, by the insertion of the first dorsal spine above the eyes, by very small scales that seem submerged in the skin, and by 12-14 dorsal-fin spines
Paracentropogon longispinis (Cuvier 1829) longus, long; spinis, spine, referring to longer suborbital and preopercular spines than Ablabys taenianotus, its presumed congener at the time
Paracentropogon rubripinnis (Temminck & Schlegel 1843) ruber, red; pinnis, fin, referring to “pale-purple” (translation) fins (except for dorsal)
Paracentropogon vespa Ogilby 1910 Latin for wasp, referring to wasp-like sting associated with its fin spines (characteristic of the family)
Paracentropogon zonatus (Weber 1913) banded, presumably referring to whitish, wavy band that encircles caudal-fin base
Pseudovespicula Mandrytsa 2001 pseudo-, false, i.e., although this genus may resemble Vespicula (=Trichosomus, diminutive of vespa, wasp, i.e., a waspfish), with its species previously included in it, such an appearance is false
Pseudovespicula cypho (Fowler 1938) hunchbacked, referring to elevated back
Pseudovespicula dracaena (Cuvier 1829) Latin for dragon, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to strong first three rays of dorsal fin
Pseudovespicula zollingeri (Bleeker 1848) in honor of the “meritorious naturalist traveller” (and Swiss botanist) Heinrich Zollinger (1818-1859), who gave his collection of Macassar (Indonesia) fishes, including type of this one, to Bleeker
Richardsonichthys Smith 1958 named for surgeon-naturalist John Richardson (1787-1865), who described R. leucogaster; ichthys, fish
Richardsonichthys leucogaster (Richardson 1848) leukos, white; gaster, belly, referring to “pure white” belly, including lower part of pectoral fins
Snyderina Jordan & Starks 1901 –ina, belonging to: ichthyologist John Otterbein Snyder (1867-1943), for his studies of Japanese fishes
Snyderina guentheri (Boulenger 1889) in honor of ichthyologist-herpetologist Albert Günther (1830-1914), who proposed its original genus, Tetraroge, in 1860
Snyderina yamanokami Jordan & Starks 1901 from Yama-no-kami, or Mountain Goddess, its local name in Kagoshima, Japan; in local mythology, Yama-no-kami is a woman with wings, capable of starting a storm
Tetraroge Günther 1860 tetra-, four; rhogos, cleft, referring to four clefts between gills compared with five on Pentaroge (=Gymnapistes)
Tetraroge barbata (Cuvier 1829) bearded, referring to two barbels near symphysis of lower jaw
Tetraroge nigra (Cuvier 1829) black, referring to “nearly blackish” (translation) color in alcohol (brownish in life)
Trichosomus Swainson 1839 tricho-, thread, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to three anteriormost dorsal-fin spines forming a separate fin; somus, body, allusion not explained nor evident
Trichosomus trachinoides (Cuvier 1829) –oides, having the form of: referring to its resemblance “at first glance” (translation) to the weeverfishes, Trachinus (Perciformes: Trachinidae)
Family SYNANCEIIDAE Stonefishes
9 genera · 38 species
Subfamily MINOINAE Stingfishes
Minous Cuvier 1829 latinization of minoo, from woorah minoo, local name for M. woora (=monodactylus) at Vizagapatam on the Coromandel Coast of India, as reported by Russell (1803)
Minous andriashevi Mandrytsa 1990 in honor of Soviet ichthyologist Anatoly Petrovich Andriashev (1910-2009), who helped collect type during the first cruise of diesel-electric ship Ob in 1956
Minous coccineus Alcock 1890 crimson, referring to “deep crimson” body and fns, “dissolved out in spirit”
Minous dempsterae Eschmeyer, Hallacher & Rama-Rao 1979 in honor of friend and colleague Lillian J. Dempster (1905-1992), Associate Curator of Fishes, California Academy of Sciences (where the senior author worked), for her “assistance in the preparation of this and other papers” on scorpionfishes
Minous groeneveldi Matsunuma & Motomura 2018 in honor of Rokus Groeneveld (b. 1966), Dutch amateur underwater photographer, who provided the authors with “excellent” underwater photographs of this species
Minous inermis Alcock 1889 unarmed, referring to “feeble armature of the head, and flexible spines”
Minous longimanus Regan 1908 longus, long; manus, hand, referring to long pectoral fin, extending to last ray of anal fin
Minous monodactylus (Bloch & Schneider 1801) mono-, one; dactylus, finger, referring to lowermost pectoral-fin ray detached from rest of fin
Minous pictus Günther 1880 painted or colored, allusion not explained, presumably referring to back and dorsal fin largely marbled with blackish-brown and white and/or whitish posterior surface of black pectoral fin, with a black stripe along each ray
Minous pusillus Temminck & Schlegel 1843 very small, referring to its much smaller size (up to 7.5 cm TL) compared with M. monodactylus (up to 15 cm TL)
Minous quincarinatus (Fowler 1943) quintus, five; carinatus, keeled, referring to five parallel longitudinal keels within interorbital space
Minous radiatus Matsunuma & Motomura 2018 radial, referring to dark stripes radiating along inner surface of pectoral-fin rays
Minous roseus Matsunuma & Motomura 2018 pinkish, referring to its “entirely pinkish” body
Minous trachycephalus (Bleeker 1855) trachys, rough; cephalus, head, “roughened by a multitude of bony nodules” (translation)
Minous usachevi Mandrytsa 1993 in honor of Sergey Ivanovick Usachev, Senior Scientist, Kerch Branch of the Azov Scientific Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, a specialist on the fishes of the Gulf of Aden, where he collected holotype
Minous versicolor Ogilby 1910 variegated or of various colors, described as dark-fawn above, roseate below, with two irregular black bands on sides, black blotches along back, orange blotches sometimes on lower body, head dark violaceous-brown streaked with gray, maxillary and lower surface white, dorsal fin fawn with the tips of the rays black, caudal fin lilac tipped with pink and crossed by three rose-pink bands, anal fin mostly dark brown (the base rosy), pectorals black (their inner surface broadly tipped with yellow and basally maroon) with or without 1-2 fawn crossbands (detached pectoral ray white or lavender with a broad yellow tip), ventrals basally roseate shading into a broad purple marginal band
Subfamily CHORIDACTYLINAE Stingers
Choridactylus Richardson 1848 choris, apart or separated; dactylus, finger, referring to free (and curved) pectoral-fin rays of C. multibarbus, by which it is “readily distinguished” from other members of the family known to Richardson
Choridactylus multibarbus Richardson 1848 multi-, many; barbus, barbel, referring to “two conspicuous fringed barbels attached to each limb of the lower jaw”
Choridactylus natalensis (Gilchrist 1902) –ensis, suffix denoting place: off Cape Natal Light, South Africa, where type locality (off Umhlanga River mouth) is situated
Choridactylus striatus Mandrytsa 1993 striped, referring to characteristic stripes on body
Inimicus Jordan & Starks 1904 Latin for foe or enemy, “dreaded by fishermen for their stinging spines”
Inimicus brachyrhynchus (Bleeker 1874) brachy, short; rhynchus, snout, referring to snout shorter than postocular part of head
Inimicus caledonicus (Sauvage 1878) –icus, belonging to: New Caledonia, where type locality (Nouméa) is situated (occurs in Indo-West Pacific from Andaman and Nicobar islands, Queensland [Australia], New Caledonia and Vanuatu)
Inimicus cuvieri (Gray 1835) patronym not identified but clearly in honor of Georges Cuvier (1769-1832), whose work on fishes culminated with his contributions to Histoire naturelle des poissons (1828-1831)
Inimicus didactylus (Pallas 1769) di-, two; daktylos, finger, referring to two lower rays of each pectoral fin, which are detached from the rest of the fin, and which the fish uses to “walk” across the sea floor
Inimicus filamentosus (Cuvier 1829) with filaments, referring to two lower rays of each pectoral fin, which are detached from the rest of the fin, and which the fish uses to “walk” across the sea floor
Inimicus gruzovi Mandrytsa 1991 in honor of Evgeni Nikolaevich Gruzov (1933-2010), Russian zoologist and hydrobiologist, who collected holotype
Inimicus japonicus (Cuvier 1829) Japanese, described from the seas of Japan (and the coast of China)
Inimicus sinensis (Valenciennes 1833) –ensis, suffix denoting place: Sinica (China), where type locality (Canton, now Guangzhou) is situated (occurs in Indo-West Pacific from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and Philippines, north to Taiwan, south to Northern Territory and Western Australia)
Inimicus smirnovi Mandrytsa 1990 in honor of Alexey Vladimirovich Smirnov (b. 1955), Senior Researcher (interested in echinoderms), Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who collected holotype
Subfamily SYNANCEIINAE Stonefishes
Dampierosa Whitley 1932 Dampier, presumably referring to Dampier Peninsula, Indian Ocean, north of Broome, Western Australia, type locality of D. daruma; Erosa, a closely related genus
Dampierosa daruma Whitley 1932 etymology not explained, perhaps referring to its “bulbous” head, inspired by the Japanese sculpin genus Daruma, a “name applied to squat figures of Buddha, and thence to certain thick-headed fishes of Japan” (per Jordan & Starks 1904)
Erosa Swainson 1839 presumably tautonymous with Synanceia erosa Cuvier 1829
Erosa erosa (Cuvier 1829) gnawed or eaten away, referring to surface of bones “hollowed out with small confluent dimples, as if they had been eaten away by worms” (translation)
Leptosynanceia Bleeker 1874 leptos, thin, presumably referring to more elongate body compared to Synanceia (original genus of L. asteroblepa)
Leptosynanceia asteroblepa (Richardson 1844) asteros, star; blepos, see, i.e., stargazer, referring to head like that of Uranoscopus (Uranoscopiformes: Uranoscopidae), with upturned eyes on top of head
Pseudosynanceia Day 1875 pseudo-, false, described as similar to Leptosynanceia but distinguished in having vomerine teeth
Pseudosynanceia melanostigma Day 1875 melanos, black; stigma, mark or spot, presumably referring to any or all of the following: gray body “mottled with black” on top of head and along back; black posterior half of spinous dorsal fin; yellow pectoral, ventral and anal fins edged with black; black band down posterior half of yellow caudal fin (but edged in yellow)
Synanceia Bloch & Schneider 1801 syn-, with; angeíon, cavity, i.e., rutted (“a capite confragola dicta”), referring to large, cavernous heads of S. horrida, S. verrucosa, S. (now Trachicephalus) uranoscopus, S. (now Inimicus) didactylus, and S. (now Scorpaena, in Scorpaenidae) papillosa
Synanceia alula Eschmeyer & Rama-Rao 1973 Latin for “little wing,” referring to its low number of pectoral-fin rays (11 vs. 14-19 in congeners)
Synanceia horrida (Linnaeus 1766) dreadful or frightful, probably referring to its “monstrous and horrendous” (per Gronow 1763) appearance (and not to its extremely venomous spines, probably unknown to European naturalists at the time)
Synanceia nana Eschmeyer & Rama-Rao 1973 dwarf or pygmy, referring to small size (up to 102 mm SL)
Synanceia platyrhynchus Bleeker 1874 platys, flat; rhynchus, snout, referring to “shallow depth of its occipital saddle” (translation)
Synanceia quinque Matsunuma, Manjaji‑Matsumoto & Motomura 2021 five, referring to five pelvic-fin rays and five skin flaps on preopercle
Synanceia verrucosa Bloch & Schneider 1801 covered with verrucae, or warts, referring to warts and growths all over body
Trachicephalus Swainson 1839 cephalus, head, presumably referring to shape and “general aspect” similar to Trachinus, i.e., weeverfishes (Perciformes: Percoidei: Trachinidae)
Trachicephalus uranoscopus (Bloch & Schneider 1801) urano, sky; scopus, watcher, referring to upturned eyes on top of head
Family APLOACTINIDAE Velvetfishes
17 genera · 50 species
Acanthosphex Fowler 1938 acanthus, thorn or spine, referring to two strong spines on preorbital projecting back behind eye and “enlarged and long” preopercular spines; sphex, Greek for wasp, presumably referring to wasp-like sting associated with its fin spines
Acanthosphex leurynnis (Jordan & Seale 1905) leuros, smooth; [h]ynnis, vomer, allusion not explained, possibly referring to small (i.e., fine) teeth on vomer
Adventor Whitley 1952 Latin for visitor, allusion not explained, proposed as a subgenus of Membracidichthys (=Paraploactis), then known from Indonesia and the Philippines, so perhaps the Australian A. elongatus is considered a “visitor” from that genus
Adventor elongatus (Whitley 1952) elongate, described as an “elongate representative” of Membracidichthys (=Paraploactis)
Aploactis Temminck & Schlegel 1843 [h]aplo-, single or simple; actis, ray, presumably referring to “simple” rays of soft fins, “not branched at the tip” (translation)
Aploactis aspera (Richardson 1845) asper, rough, referring to body covered with velvety prickles
Aploactisoma Castelnau 1872 soma, body, “nearly allied” to Aploactis but differing in the “presence of teeth on the palatine bones, and the composition of the fins”
Aploactisoma milesii (Richardson 1850) in honor of Mr. Miles (forename not available), who collected off the coasts of Australia (perhaps from a Royal Navy convict ship) and presented specimens, including type of this species, to the Museum of Haslar Hospital (Hampshire, England), where Richardson studied it after he established the museum in 1838
Bathyaploactis Whitley 1933 bathys, deep, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to its occurrence in deeper water compared with the closely related Aploactis
Bathyaploactis curtisensis Whitley 1933 –ensis, suffix denoting place: off Gatcombe Head, Port Curtis, Queensland, Australia, type locality
Bathyaploactis ornatissima Whitley 1933 superlative of ornatus, handsome, splendid or decorated, proposed as a “well-marked” subspecies of B. curtisensis with a different, “strongly marked” color pattern
Cocotropus Kaup 1858 etymology not explained nor evident; could translate as coc[c]um, scarlet, and tropus, manner or way, i.e., a scarlet fish, but type species C. echinatus is umber, not scarlet
Cocotropus altipinnis Waite 1903 altus, high; pinnis, fin, presumably referring to first three rays of dorsal-fin, which are noticeably higher than its other rays
Cocotropus astakhovi Prokofiev 2010 in honor of Dmitry Alekseevich Astakhov, Laboratory of Oceanic Ichthyofauna, Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, “well-known” (translation) for his research in marine fishes, particularly coral-reef fishes of Viet Nâm (where this species occurs)
Cocotropus aurantius Matsunuma, Sado & Motomura 2021 Latin for orange, referring to its characteristic coloration in life
Cocotropus dermacanthus (Bleeker 1852) derma, skin; acanthus, thorn or spine, referring to skin studded with small prickles
Cocotropus echinatus (Cantor 1849) spiny, presumably referring to numerous blunt or flattened spines on head
Cocotropus eksae Prokofiev 2010 in honor of Eugenia K. Sytchevskaya (EKS), Curator of Fossil Fishes at the Palaeontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a “well-known” (translation) ichthyologist and paleontologist
Cocotropus izuensis Imamura, Aizawa & Shinohara 2010 –ensis, suffix denoting place: Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where most of the type series were collected (also occurs at Bozo Peninsula)
Cocotropus keramaensis Imamura & Shinohara 2003 –ensis, suffix denoting place: south of Kerama Islands, southern Japan, type locality
Cocotropus larvatus Poss & Allen 1987 from the Latin larva, ghost, referring to its “ghost-like appearance and small size”
Cocotropus masudai Matsubara 1943 in honor of Sigeo Masuda from Hachijō-jima Island, Japan (no other information available), who “obtained” type
Cocotropus microps Johnson 2004 micro-, small; ops, eye, referring to its small, “inconspicuous” eyes
Cocotropus monacanthus (Gilchrist 1906) mono-, one; acanthus, thorn or spine, referring to one anal-fin spine, compared with 2-3 on C. dermacanthus
Cocotropus possi Imamura & Shinohara 2008 in honor of ichthyologist Stuart G. Poss (b. 1950), for his “outstanding” contributions to aploactinid systematics
Cocotropus richeri Fricke 2004 in honor of marine biologist Bertrand Richer de Forges (b. 1948), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Nouméa, New Caledonia), who collected many “interesting” species of New Caledonian fishes (but not this one)
Cocotropus roseomaculatus Imamura & Shinohara 2004 roseo-, rosy; maculatus, spotted, referring to characteristic pinkish spots on body and fins
Cocotropus roseus Day 1875 rosy, described as “fleshy, the fins having more of a pinkish tinge”
Cocotropus steinitzi Eschmeyer & Dor 1978 in honor of Heinz Steinitz (1909-1971), marine biologist and herpetologist (Hebrew University, Jerusalem), and Director of its Marine Biological Laboratory at Elat, who collected holotype in 1959
Erisphex Jordan & Starks 1904 eri-, very; sphex, Greek for wasp, allusion not explained, probably referring to wasp-like sting associated with its venomous fin spines
Erisphex aniarus (Thomson 1967) etymology not explained, perhaps from the Greek aniaros, wretched or annoying, referring to its venomous fin spines
Erisphex philippinus (Fowler 1938) Filipino, described from off Macabalan Pt. Light, northern Mindanao and vicinity, Philippines
Erisphex pottii (Steindachner 1896) in honor of Constantin Edler von Pott, captain of the ship Aurora, from which type was collected
Erisphex simplex Chen 1981 Latin for simple, referring to less coarse body surface and lack of black marks compared with E. pottii
Kanekonia Tanaka 1915 –ia, belonging to: Ichiro Kaneko, who provided Tanaka with fishes from Nagasaki, Japan, including holotype of K. florida from a fish market (per Tanaka 1918)
Kanekonia florida Tanaka 1915 blooming or flowery, presumably referring to Hanachigo-Okoze, its Japanese vernacular name (per Tanaka 1918); Hanachigo roughly translates as “Flower-Child” (specifically, a boy living with a geisha, allusion not explained nor evident), and Okoze, a Japanese name for various venomous scorpaenioids)
Kanekonia leichhardti Johnson 2013 in honor of Ludwig Leichhardt (1813-1848), Prussian-born explorer and scientist, who achieved one of the longest journeys of exploration in Australia (1844-1845), covering ~4800 km, and was the first European to traverse the southern edge of the Gulf of Carpenteria (Queensland, type locality) over land and to report on its fauna, flora and geology (description published in a special issue commemorating the bicentenary of Leichhardt’s birth)
Kanekonia pelta Poss 1982 Latin for a small shield, referring to distinctive shape of first infraorbital bone
Kanekonia queenslandica Whitley 1952 –ica, belonging to: northern Queensland, Australia, where type locality (Albany Passage) is situated (also occurs off Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia)
Matsubarichthys Poss & Johnson 1991 in honor of the late Kiyomatsu Matsubara (1907-1968), Imperial Fisheries Institute (Tokyo), for his “pioneering and inspiring research” on scorpaenoid fishes; ichthys, fish
Matsubarichthys inusitatus Poss & Johnson 1991 Latin for unusual or rare, a “relatively primitive” aploactinid described from a single specimen
Neoaploactis Eschmeyer & Allen 1978 neo-, new; Aploactis, type genus of family, referring to its “newness and uniqueness in relation to other aploactinids”
Neoaploactis tridorsalis Eschmeyer & Allen 1978 tri-, three; dorsalis, dorsal, referring to three dorsal fins (the initial four spines forming a separate fin)
Paraploactis Bleeker 1864 para-, near, described as intermediate between Aploactis and Trichopleura (=Sthenopus)
Paraploactis hongkongiensis (Chan 1966) –ensis, suffix denoting place: Hong Kong, where type locality (west shore of Sharp Island, inside of Port Shelter) is situated
Paraploactis intonsa Poss & Eschmeyer 1978 Latin for bearded or unshaven, referring to numerous cirri on lower jaw and snout, which give the face a “somewhat shaggy appearance”
Paraploactis kagoshimensis (Ishikawa 1904) –ensis, suffix denoting place: Kagoshima, Japan, type locality (occurs in northwestern Pacific from northern Viet Nâm, southern China and Taiwan to Japan)
Paraploactis obbesi (Weber 1913) in honor of Dutch artist Joan François Obbes (1869-1963), who illustrated the figures in Weber’s monograph with “such great expertise and with such great precision” (translation)
Paraploactis pulvinus Poss & Eschmeyer 1978 Latin for pillow, referring to large fleshy pad on isthmus upon which it rests its head
Paraploactis taprobanensis (Whitley 1933) –ensis, suffix denoting place: Taprobana, ancient Greek name of Sri Lanka, presumed type locality (no type known; also occurs off southwest India)
Paraploactis trachyderma Bleeker 1865 trachys, coarse or rough; derma, skin, referring to nearly entire body covered with prickles
Peristrominous Whitley 1952 peristroma, carpet, allusion not explained; Whitley suggested the common name “Brown Carpet Fish,” possibly referring to its benthic habitat and camouflaging coloration; Minous (Synanceiidae), presumed to be a related genus
Peristrominous dolosus Whitley 1952 Latin for deceitful, referring to its camouflaging coloration and its type locality, Deception Bay (Queensland, Australia)
Prosoproctus Poss & Eschmeyer 1979 proso-, in front; proctus, anus, referring to forward position of anus (immediately posterior to pelvic-fin base rather than near anal-fin origin)
Prosoproctus pataecus Poss & Eschmeyer 1979 from Pataikos, an odd-shaped dwarf-like Phoenician deity used to decorate the prows of Phoenician ships, source of the name Pataecus (Pataecidae), presumed to be a related genus at the time
Pseudopataecus Johnson 2004 pseudo-, false, referring to “superficial but false likeness” with Pataecus (Pataecidae)
Pseudopataecus carnatobarbatus Johnson 2012 carnatus, fleshy; barbatus, bearded, referring to goatee-like beard of fleshy cirri present around lower chin
Pseudopataecus taenianotus Johnson 2004 taenia-, band or ribbon; notus, back, referring to long ribbon-like dorsal fin
Ptarmus Smith 1947 presumably from the Greek ptarmos, sneeze, allusion not explained nor evident
Ptarmus gallus (Kossmann & Räuber 1877) Latin for cock or fowl, allusion not explained, probably referring to crested dorsal fin, like the fleshy growth or crest on the top of the head of gallinaceous birds
Ptarmus jubatus (Smith 1935) jubate, i.e., fringed with long pendent hairs like a mane, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to mane-like dorsal fin
Sthenopus Richardson 1848 sthenos, strong (but perhaps Richardson meant asthenos, weak); pous, foot, referring to ventral fins, the “generic name is derived from their comparatively diminutive size”
Sthenopus mollis Richardson 1848 mollis, soft, referring to “shaggy skin” of head and/or “soft, lax, scaleless” skin
Xenaploactis Poss & Eschmeyer 1980 xenos, strange or different, allusion not explained but referring (per Stuart G. Poss, pers. comm.) to how genus differs from other aploactids by several features in combination: three anterior dorsal fin spines forming a separate fin, rather sharp head spines, a markedly upturned mouth, and a body densely covered with modified pointed scales); Aploactis, type genus of family [although original description says name means “stranger,” Poss tells us that name does not allude to the M/V Stranger, from which holotype of X. cautes was collected in 1960]
Xenaploactis anopta Poss & Eschmeyer 1980 Greek for unseen, allusion not explained but referring (per Stuart G. Poss, pers. comm.) to holotype remaining unescribed since 1966 with no other specimens having been collected at the time
Xenaploactis asperrima (Günther 1860) rough, referring to head and body covered by small prickles (modified scales that form spinous points)
Xenaploactis cautes Poss & Eschmeyer 1980 Latin for a rough, pointed rock, allusion not explained but referring (per Stuart G. Poss, pers. comm.) to both “rather pungent” head spines and laterally projecting spinules along lateral line (both characteristics of the genus)
Family PERRYENIDAE Whitenose Pigfish
Perryena Whitley 1940 –ena, belonging to: George Perry (1771-?), English architect, stonemason, naturalist, illustrator, and publisher, who proposed Congiopodus (Congiopodidae), presumed to be its closest relative at the time, in 1811, and original genus (though misspelled as Congiopus) of P. leucometopon
Perryena leucometopon (Waite 1922) leucos, white; metopon, forehead, referring to white forehead (including first dorsal-fin spine); front of snout and tip of chin also white
Family ESCHMEYERIDAE Cofish
Eschmeyer Poss & Springer 1983 in honor of William N. Eschmeyer (b. 1939), California Academy of Sciences, for his contributions to the study of scorpaenoid fishes [the common name Cofish for the family was coined by FishBase to honor Eschmeyer’s “Catalog of Fishes” (CoF)]
Eschmeyer nexus Poss & Springer 1983 from the Latin nectere, to tie or connect, referring to a combination of features that suggest a close relationship to several groups of scorpaenoids
Family PATAECIDAE Australian Prowfishes
3 genera · 3 species
Aetapcus Scott 1936 anagram of Pataecus, proposed as a subgenus of Pataecus in which the snout inclines backward instead of forward
Aetapcus maculatus (Günther 1861) spotted, referring to head and body “dotted and spotted” with black, and a series of large round spots along lower half of dorsal fin, with a series of small dots along the upper half
Neopataecus Steindachner 1884 neo-, new, proposed as a subgenus of Pataecus distinguished by irregular shape of caudal fin, separation of dorsal from caudal fin, and slender shape of caudal peduncle
Neopataecus waterhousii (Castelnau 1872) in honor of Frederick George Waterhouse (1815-1898), the “able and indefatigable” Curator of the South Australian Museum, who collected holotype
Pataecus Richardson 1844 from Pataikos, an odd-shaped dwarf-like Phoenician deity used to decorate the prows of Phoenician ships, presumably referring to the large head of P. fronto and its prow-shaped dorsal fin (hence the common name prowfish)
Pataecus fronto Richardson 1844 from the Latin frons, brow or forehead, allusion not explained, probably referring to how the “dorsal fin commences at the anterior top of the forehead, before the eye, and reaches to the end of the tail, being united to the caudal fin” (per Richardson 1846)
Family GNATHANACANTHIDAE Red Velvetfish
Gnathanacanthus Bleeker 1854 gnathus, jaw; ana-, not; acanthus, thorn or spine, presumably referring to absence of spines on head, unlike Taenianotus (Scorpaenidae), its presumed relative at the time (which has two large spines on opercle, sometimes concealed by skin)
Gnathanacanthus goetzeei Bleeker 1854 in honor of J. W. Goetzee (no other information available), who sent holotype and other fishes from Hobart, Australia, to Bleeker
Family CONGIOPODIDAE Racehorses or Pigfishes
1 genus · 5 species
Congiopodus Perry 1811 etymology not explained, perhaps from the Greek gongulos, round, and podus, foot, referring to roundish pelvic fins of C. percatus (=torvus)
Congiopodus coriaceus Paulin & Moreland 1979 leathery, referring to “thick, smooth, leathery skin”
Congiopodus leucopaecilus (Richardson 1846) leucos, white; poecilus, varicolored or mottled, referring to irregular purplish-white spots or mottles on body
Congiopodus peruvianus (Cuvier 1829) Peruvian, described from San Lorenzo Island, near Lima, Peru
Congiopodus spinifer (Smith 1839) spina, thorn; fera, bearing, presumably referring to “short, strong, and pointed spine” at base of snout in front of each eye and/or soft skin “armed with numerous minute and pointed spines, all of which are slightly directed backwards”
Congiopodus torvus (Gronow 1772) of the eyes or staring, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to eyes “on sides of top of head” (translation)
Family ZANCLORHYNCHIDAE Horsefishes
2 genera · 6 species/subspecies · (Taxonomic note: often treated as a subfamily of Congiopodidae.)
Alertichthys Moreland 1960 named for the M/V Alert, an ex-Navy Harbour Defence Motor Launch, owned and captained by Alex J. Black, from which holotype of A. blacki was taken, and made available to the Dominion (now Te Papa) Museum (Wellington, New Zealand) to investigate the bottom fauna in waters off the Otago Peninsula (Dunedin, New Zealand); ichthys, fish
Alertichthys blacki Moreland 1960 in honor of Alex J. Black of Dunedin, New Zealand, owner and captain of the M/V Alert (see genus), for “many kindnesses extended” to Moreland and for “expert advice and help in handling equipment”
Zanclorhynchus Günther 1880 zanklon, sickle; rhynchus, snout, presumably referring to “pointed” snout of Z. spinifer
Zanclorhynchus chereshnevi Balushkin & Zhukov 2016 in honor of Igor Aleksandrovich Chereshnev (1948-2013), “famous” (translation) researcher of the fishes of northeast Russia, the senior author’s friend, schoolmate and university mate
Zanclorhynchus spinifer spinifer Günther 1880 spina, thorn; fera, bearing, presumably referring to head bones “armed with spines”
Zanclorhynchus spinifer armatus Zhukov 2019 armed, referring to strong spines on head and first dorsal fin
Zanclorhynchus spinifer heracleus Zhukov & Balushkin 2018 named for Ridge of Hercules, north of Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, Southern Ocean, only known area of occurrence
Zanclorhynchus spinifer macquariensis Zhukov 2019 –ensis, suffix denoting place: Buckles Bay, Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean, type locality