Neomerinthe hemingwayi
A western Atlantic scorpionfish named for Ernest Hemingway.
The spinycheek scorpionfish, or Hemingway's scorpionfish (Neomerinthe hemingwayi), is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Scorpaenidae. It lives in the western Atlantic Ocean.
American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler first described this species in 1935. He created a new genus, *Neomerinthe*, and made this fish its type species. The type specimen came from about 70 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey. Fowler named the fish after writer Ernest Hemingway, whom he befriended while staying in Cuba in 1934 to study billfishes. The name honored Hemingway's help with Fowler's work on Gulf Stream fishes, though Hemingway did not collect this species.
The fish has an elongate, robust body. Its nasal bone has two downward-pointing spines on the lower edge in front of the eye and one sideways-pointing spine on the side at the rear. The bony ridge below the eye extends behind it and bears three spines. Teeth line the sides of the roof of the mouth. There is a single central spine on the preoperculum. Its wedge-shaped pectoral fins have 16–18 rays (usually 17), with the longest in the center; in adults, the third through eighth rays are branched at the tips. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and typically 10.5 rays (rarely 9.5), with the last ray split to its base and counted as 1.5. The scales are rough, and the lateral line runs to the caudal fin. Overall color is reddish brown, with dark mottles and spots on the back and flanks. Three dark spots cluster on the lateral line below the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is heavily mottled and spotted, the caudal fin densely spotted, and the pectoral fin has irregular spots. Maximum total length is 40 cm (16 in).
This species occurs along the U.S. eastern coast from New Jersey to southern Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Campeche, Mexico. It is a demersal fish found at depths of 45 to 230 m (148 to 755 ft).
The spinycheek scorpionfish is carnivorous, eating benthic invertebrates and smaller fish. It is oviparous, laying pelagic eggs that hatch into pelagic larvae. Thick glandular tissue on the rear of each fin spine is thought to be venom glands.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Neomerinthe hemingwayi
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The spinycheek scorpionfish was first formally described in 1935 by American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler, who also created the genus Neomerinthe with this species as its type species. The specific name honors Ernest Hemingway, with whom Fowler stayed in Cuba in 1934 to study billfishes; they became friends, and Fowler named the species to mark his appreciation of Hemingway's help with his work on Gulf Stream fishes, though Hemingway was not involved in collecting this species.
This fish has an elongate, robust body with distinctive spines: two downward-directed spines on the nasal bone, a sideways spine at the rear of the nasal bone, and three spines on the bony suborbital ridge extending behind the eye. It has teeth on the sides of the roof of the mouth, a single central spine on the preoperculum, and wedge-shaped pectoral fins with 16–18 rays. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and typically 10.5 rays. Its coloration is reddish brown with dark mottles and spots, including three dark spots on the lateral line below the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin.
It is a demersal species found at depths between 45 and 230 m. It is carnivorous, feeding on benthic invertebrates and smaller fishes, and is oviparous, laying pelagic eggs that hatch into pelagic larvae. Thick, glandular tissue on the rear of each fin spine is thought to be venom glands.
Reader's Guide
The spinycheek scorpionfish holds significance primarily through its taxonomic and historical context. As the type species of the genus Neomerinthe, it serves as the defining example for that group within the scorpionfish family. Its naming after Ernest Hemingway, a major literary figure, provides a notable link between ichthyology and American culture, though Hemingway did not collect the specimen. The species was described by Henry Weed Fowler in 1935, based on a type locality about 70 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey. Its distribution along the eastern United States coast and into the Gulf of Mexico, at depths from 45 to 230 meters, places it in a specific ecological niche as a demersal predator of benthic invertebrates and smaller fishes. The presence of glandular tissue on fin spines, thought to be venom glands, aligns it with other venomous scorpionfishes. The species reaches a maximum total length of 40 cm, making it a moderately sized member of its family. Its legacy is tied to both its biological characteristics and the unique story of its naming, reflecting a collaboration between a scientist and a famous author.
Did You Know?
- The spinycheek scorpionfish was named after Ernest Hemingway, though he did not collect the specimen.
- It is the type species of the genus Neomerinthe, first described by Henry Weed Fowler in 1935.
- The type locality is about 70 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey, USA.
- It has thick, glandular tissue on the rear of each fin spine thought to be venom glands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Neomerinthe hemingwayi?
It is a marine ray-finned scorpionfish (family Scorpaenidae) most often called the spinycheek or Hemingway's scorpionfish, native to the western Atlantic Ocean.
Who described Neomerinthe hemingwayi and why does it carry Hemingway's name?
American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler published the formal description in 1935 and chose the specific epithet to honor his friend Ernest Hemingway, whom he had met while conducting billfish research in Cuba the year before.
Where does Neomerinthe hemingwayi live?
The species inhabits the western Atlantic, with the original type specimen hauled from waters roughly 70 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey. It is typically encountered at depths between 45 and 230 meters.
How large does Neomerinthe hemingwayi grow?
Adults reach a maximum total length of about 40 centimeters, or roughly 16 inches.
What makes Neomerinthe hemingwayi taxonomically significant?
Fowler erected the entirely new genus Neomerinthe at the same time he described this fish, designating it the type species and thereby anchoring the whole genus to a single scorpionfish.
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