Abstract
A taxonomic review of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaenopsis in Japanese waters recognizes 12 species as valid: viz., S. cirrosa, S. cotticeps, S. diabolus, S. macrochir, S. neglecta, S. orientalis, S. oxycephala, S. papuensis, S. possi, S. ramaraoi, S. venosa and S. vittapinna. Of these, S. oxycephala, S. ramaraoi and S. vittapinna are reliably reported from Japan for the first time, including the northernrnost record of each. Distributional ranges in Japanese waters of four other species are extended, viz. S. macrochir (northernmost record from Sesoko Island off Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands; new record from the Ogasawara Islands), S. papuensis (northernmost record from Wakayama Prefecture; new records from Iriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands and Amamioshima, Kagoshima Prefecture), S. possi (new records from Kerama Islands and Izu Islands) and S. venosa (northern-most record from Kochi Prefecture). Three species, previously identified by Japanese researchers as S. cirrosa (Ryukyu Islands var.), S. brevifrons, S. oxycephala and Scorpaenopsis sp., are herein re-identified as S. possi, S. vittapinna, S. papuensis and S. venosa [or S. possi (part)], respectively. Five new standard Japanese names are proposed for S. macrochir, S. orientalis, S. oxycephala, S. ramaraoi and S. venosa. The configuration of a bulge on the snout and posterior nostrils found in S. macrochir constitute a newly-recognized diagnostic character for the species. Each of the above 12 species is redescribed on the basis of specimens collected from Japanese waters and compared with each other in detail. A key to the species of Japanese Scorpaenopsis is included.
