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Pontinus vaughani — Details

Spotback Scorpionfish learn more about names for this taxon

Overview

Comprehensive Description

Description

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Common names: scorpionfish (English), lapón (Espanol), pez-escorpión (Espanol), rascacio (Espanol)

Pontinus vaughani Barnhart & Hubbs, 1946

Spotback scorpionfish

Head and body compressed; head very bony, with numerous spines; nape flat; without pit behind eye; eye relatively small (18-25% of head length); uppermost preopercular spine longest; teeth on roof of mouth at sides but not at front; slit present behind last gill arch; 14-21 gill rakers; dorsal XII, 2nd and 3rd equally long, much longer than others 9-10 rays; anal III, 4; pectoral with longest rays in center, 19-20 rays, all unbranched; scales rough, present on cheek, behind eye and on chest; lateral line complete, 26-31 scales with tubes.

Head and body dark-pink, with yellowish wash to upper half; entire head and body with dense irregular, often elongate, pale blue spots; spinous dorsal with pink and blue spines, membranes yellowish pink, soft part with pink rays, yellowish membranes; tail, and anal rays pink, membranes yellowish pink; pelvic with pink and blue rays, yellowish pink membranes; pectoral rays pink with series of elongate dark spots, membranes pink with blue spots, base pink with dense blue spots.

Size: 57 cm.

Habitat: rubble bottoms.

Depth: 30-120 m.

Baja California Sur, the SW part of the Gulf of California and the Revillagigedos and Clipperton.

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Biology

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Considered a good food fish (Ref. 9341).

Poss, S.G. 1995 Scorpaenidae. Rascacios, chancharros. p. 1544-1564. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9341) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9341&speccode=8221

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Distribution

Range Description

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This species is present in the eastern Pacific off the Baja California Sur; the southwestern part of the Gulf of California; as well as the Revillagigedos and Clipperton islands.

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Depth

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Depth Range (m): 30 (S) - 120 (S)

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Zoogeography

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See Map (including site records) of Distribution in the Tropical Eastern Pacific

Global Endemism: All species, East Pacific endemic, Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic

Regional Endemism: All species, TEP endemic, Continent + Island (s), Continent, Island (s)

Residency: Resident

Climate Zone: North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California), Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap), Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos), Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)

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Eastern Central Pacific: Baja California, Mexico and the Clipperton, Clarion and Revillagigedo islands.

Poss, S.G. 1995 Scorpaenidae. Rascacios, chancharros. p. 1544-1564. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9341) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9341&speccode=8221

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Physical Description

Morphology

Size

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Length max (cm): 57.0 (S)

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Size

Max. size

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44.3 cm SL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9341))

Poss, S.G. 1995 Scorpaenidae. Rascacios, chancharros. p. 1544-1564. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9341) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9341&speccode=8221

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

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Habitat and Ecology

This is a demersal species; it is found in rubble substrata. It is a deep reefs associate. It is found from 30-120m.

Systems

Marine

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Depth range based on 1 specimen in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 1 sample.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 40 - 40
  Temperature range (°C): 24.914 - 24.914
  Nitrate (umol/L): 5.639 - 5.639
  Salinity (PPS): 34.103 - 34.103
  Oxygen (ml/l): 3.647 - 3.647
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.778 - 0.778
  Silicate (umol/l): 5.601 - 5.601

Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

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Source: Ocean Biogeographic Information System

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Habitat

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Salinity: Marine, Marine Only

Inshore/Offshore: Inshore, Inshore Only

Water Column Position: Bottom, Bottom only

Habitat: Reef (rock &/or coral), Reef only, Rocks, Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)

FishBase Habitat: Demersal

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Environment

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demersal; marine

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Trophic Strategy

Feeding

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Feeding Group: Carnivore

Diet: mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs), octopus/squid/cuttlefish, bony fishes

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Life History and Behavior

Reproduction

Reproduction

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Egg Type: Pelagic, Pelagic larva

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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment

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Red List Category

LC

Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2010

Assessor/s

Iwamoto, T., Eschmeyer, W., Alvarado, J.

Reviewer/s

Carpenter, K., Polidoro, B., Livingstone, S. (Global Marine Species Assessment Team)

Justification

The species is considered as Least Concern due to its wide distribution, occurrence in protected areas, and lack of major threats.

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Conservation status

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IUCN Red List: Not evaluated / Listed

CITES: Not listed

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Trends

Population

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Population

There is no population information for this species.

Population Trend

Unknown

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Threats

Threats

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Major Threats

This species has no major threats.

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Least Concern (LC)

IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006. http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073

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Management

Conservation Actions

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Conservation Actions

There are no species specific conservation measures. However, in Mexico, this species is found in a small number of Marine Protected Areas.

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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Importance

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fisheries: commercial

Poss, S.G. 1995 Scorpaenidae. Rascacios, chancharros. p. 1544-1564. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9341) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9341&speccode=8221

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