The identity of the ‘British’ scorpionfish Helicolenus microphthalmus

Abstract

The scorpionfish Helicolenus microphthalmus Norman, 1935, described from two specimens from the Yorkshire coast, is referable to Sebastiscus marmoratus (Cuvier, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829), a scorpaenid fish from the western North Pacific Ocean. Descriptions and meristic data for the types of H. microphthalmus are given and comparison is made with the Pacific species. The natural occurrence of this species in British waters cannot be explained. A brief discussion of the means of introduction of exotic marine animals is given, but in the case of H. microphthalmus incorrect locality data are suspected. A similar case involving the clinid Stathmonotus stahli (Evermann & Marsh, 1899) is mentioned.