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Published July 27, 2020 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Prionotus murielae Mowbray, 1928 is the juvenile of the Bandtail Searobin Prionotus ophryas (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae).

  • 1. Ocean Science Foundation, 4051 Glenwood, Irvine, CA 92604, USA and Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA
  • 2. 359 Cottonwood Lane, Boca Raton, FL 33487, USA

Description

For almost a century, a single small holotype specimen of the searobin Prionotus murielae Mowbray, 1928 from Bahamas has been considered a valid species. The diagnostic character for the species is two long filamentous uppermost pectoral-fin rays, otherwise every author agreed it was essentially the same as the Bandtail Searobin, Prionotus ophryas Jordan & Swain, 1885. Recent underwater photographs show juvenile P. ophryas have a filamentous uppermost pectoral-fin ray and a juvenile specimen from trawls in the Gulf of Mexico has the two long filamentous rays. The specimen was sequenced for the mtDNA-barcode COI marker and it matched all other P. ophryas sequences available. The early stages of P. ophryas are documented here, with a spectacularly colorful, newly settled stage with bright-blue fin spots. The pelagic larvae also show the blue spots, and a transforming individual, showing all the features of a juvenile, was photographed while still pelagic in deep waters off South Florida. The larval stage closely resembles the larvae of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, but has a different color pattern, number, and arrangement of pectoral-fin rays.

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