Lionfish and Scorpionfish Codexery

Pteroidichthys

A genus of scorpionfishes found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

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Pteroidichthys

Steve Childs from Lancaster, UK · via Wikipedia: Pteroidichthys · CC BY 2.0

Four recognized species exist: P. acutus, P. amboinensis, P. caussei, and P. noronhai.[1] Pieter Bleeker, a Dutch ichthyologist, first established the genus Pteroidichthys in 1856.[2][3]

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderPerciformes
  6. FamilyScorpaenidae
  7. GenusPteroidichthys

Named by Bleeker, 1856

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Pteroidichthys (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Biology and range

Pteroidichthys scorpionfishes have a strongly compressed, elongated body with a width 10–24% of standard length and depth 28–40% of standard length.[4][5] Their distribution includes the Indian Ocean, western Pacific Ocean, Red Sea, Japan, and Australia.[6] GBIF holds 353 occurrence records for this taxon as of October 2026.[7] A dorsal fin with 12 spines is characteristic of this genus, and the lower part of the caudal fin lacks any black blotches.[4][5]

Within the genus, the smallest species, P. acutus, reaches a maximum standard length of 4.1 cm, while the largest, P. amboinensis, attains a total length of 12 cm.[4] These fish live on or near the sea floor, preferring soft substrates, and have been recorded at depths between 7 and 400 meters.[6] As ambush predators, members of Pteroidichthys are typically found living alone.[8] Taxonomic classification of the genus varies by source: GBIF places it in the order Scorpaeniformes, whereas WORMS lists it under Perciformes; both agree on the family Scorpaenidae.[7][3]

What the specialist sources record

The Fishes of Australia account notes the genus has 12 dorsal-fin spines and no black blotches on the lower caudal fin.[5] Dianne J. Bray authored the Fishes of Australia entry for Pteroidichthys.[5] The 2015 review by Motomura & Kanade in Zootaxa described two new species and is referenced by both Fishes of Australia and Wikipedia.[5][1] WoRMS lists the genus as accepted in family Scorpaenidae, order Perciformes, class Teleostei.[3]

GBIF accepts the genus under order Scorpaeniformes and reports 353 occurrence records.[7]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Pteroidichthys" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "Review of the scorpionfish genus Pteroidichthys (Scorpaenidae), with descriptions of two new species", Zootaxa, 2015, p. 490–510; "Review of the scorpionfish genus Pteroidichthys (Scorpaenidae), with descriptions of two new species", Zootaxa, 2015, p. 490–510 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Pteroidichthys" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  3. World Register of Marine Species, Pteroidichthys (AphiaID 270645). CC BY 4.0. marinespecies.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Pteroidichthys" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Dianne J. Bray, "Pteroidichthys", Fishes of Australia; (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Dianne J. Bray, "Pteroidichthys", Fishes of Australia. facts only, no text reused. fishesofaustralia.net.au
  6. Wikipedia, "Pteroidichthys" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Review of the scorpionfish genus Pteroidichthys (Scorpaenidae), with descriptions of two new species", Zootaxa, 2015, p. 490–510; "Confirmed record of the Ambon scorpionfish, Pteroidichthys amboinensis from the Red Sea (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae)", Marine Biodiversity Records, 2015; Motomura, H., "Pteroidichthys noronhai", 2016; Motomura, H., "Pteroidichthys amboinensis", 2016; Motomura, H., "Pteroidichthys noronhai", 2016; "Review of the scorpionfish genus Pteroidichthys (Scorpaenidae), with descriptions of two new species", Zootaxa, 201 en.wikipedia.org
  7. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence index, Pteroidichthys (taxon key 2334521). CC BY 4.0 (backbone); counts are facts. gbif.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Pteroidichthys" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Motomura, H., "Pteroidichthys amboinensis", 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Pteroidichthys (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Named in this entry

Actinopterygii

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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