''Pontinus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of marine

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

belonging to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Scorpaenidae The Scorpaenidae (also known as scorpionfish) are a family of mostly marine fish that includes many of the world's most venomous species. As their name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venom ...

, the scorpionfishes. The scorpionfishes in this genus are distributed in the tropical and warm temperate parts Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Taxonomy

''Pontinus'' was first described as a genus in 1860 by the Cuban

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...

Felipe Poey y Aloy Felipe Poey (May 26, 1799 – January 28, 1891) was a Cuban zoologist. Biography Poey was born in Havana, the son of French and Spanish parents. He spent several years (1804 to 1807) of his life in Pau then studied law in Madrid. He became a ...

when he was describing the longsnout scorpionfish (''P. castor'') which he had collected at Havana, as this species was the only species Poey definitely placed within the new genus it is its

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

monotypy In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

. The genus name from is derived from ''pontis'', meaning "bridge", an allusion to the suborbital stay, or ridge, which is found in all the species in the subfamily Scorpaeninae.

Species

There are currently 19 recognized species in this genus: * '' Pontinus accraensis''

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

, 1935 (Ghanean rockfish) * '' Pontinus castor'' Poey, 1860 (Longsnout scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus clemensi'' Fitch, 1955 (Mottled scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus corallinus'' A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1903 * '' Pontinus furcirhinus''

Garman Garman is a surname or first name. Notable people with the name include: Sports * Ann Garman, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Judi Garman (born 1954), American softball coach * Mike Garman (born 1949), American baseball pla ...

, 1899 * '' Pontinus helena'' Eschmeyer, 1965 * '' Pontinus kuhlii'' ( S. Bowdich, 1825) (Offshore rockfish) * '' Pontinus leda'' Eschmeyer, 1969 (Speckled deepwater scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus longispinis'' Goode & T. H. Bean, 1896 (Longspine scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus macrocephalus'' ( Sauvage, 1882) (Large-headed scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus nematophthalmus'' ( Günther, 1860) (Spinythroat scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus nigerimum'' Eschmeyer, 1983 (Blacklash scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus nigropunctatus'' (Günther, 1868) (St. Helena deepwater scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus rathbuni'' Goode & T. H. Bean, 1896 (Highfin scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus rhodochrous'' (Günther, 1872) * '' Pontinus sierra'' ( C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Speckled scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus strigatus'' Heller &

Snodgrass The family name Snodgrass is said to originate from lands in the parish of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, known as Snodgrasse, or Snodgers, at a bend in the River Garnock at 55°38' north, 4°42' west, which were rented out in plots. Both forms are ...

, 1903 (Stalkeye scorpionfish) * '' Pontinus tentacularis'' ( Fowler, 1938) * '' Pontinus vaughani''

Barnhart Barnhart is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Berta Barnhart, member of Seattle City Planning Commission * Brian Barnhart, American auto racing executive * Clarence Barnhart (1900-1993), American lexicographer *Clyde Barnhart ( ...

& C. L. Hubbs, 1946 (Spotback scorpionfish)

Characteristics

''Pontinus'' scorpionfishes have very bony heads The head has 2 preorbital spines over the maxillary, 3-4 spines on the suborbital ridge although the first spine on the preorbital bone is frequently absent. There is a supplemental preopercular spine and the uppermost preopercular spine is the longest with the second preopercular spine being often absent, then the third and fourth are present but the 5th may be present or absent. They have both

vomerine teeth The vomer (; lat, vomer, lit=ploughshare) is one of the unpaired facial bones of the skull. It is located in the midsagittal line, and articulates with the sphenoid, the ethmoid, the left and right palatine bones, and the left and right maxill ...

and paltine teeth. The

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

contains 12 spines and 9-10 sot rays while the anal-fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays with the rearmost ray deeply split. There are 15-20 unbranched fin rays in the

pectoral fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

. They have a

swimbladder The swim bladder, gas bladder, fish maw, or air bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish (but not cartilaginous fish) to control their buoyancy, and thus to stay at their current water depth w ...

The scales on the body are

ctenoid A fish scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of the skin of a fish. The skin of most jawed fishes is covered with these protective scales, which can also provide effective camouflage through the use of reflection and colouration, as ...

and the cheek, postorbital area and top of head are all scaled. They do not have an occipital pit. These scorpionfishes vary in size from a

total length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...

of in the spinythroat scorpionfish (''P. nematophthalmus'') to in the mottled spinefish (''P. clemensi'').

Distribution and habitat

''Pontinus'' scorpionfishes are found in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Indian and Pacific Oceans. These are

demersal fish Demersal fish, also known as groundfish, live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes (the demersal zone).Walrond Carl . "Coastal fish - Fish of the open sea floor"Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 2 March 2009 They occ ...

es.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2394496 Scorpaenini Venomous fish Extant Rupelian first appearances Marine fish genera Taxa named by Felipe Poey Rupelian genus first appearances