Range Extension of a Poorly Known Fish Species Hoplosebastes Armatus Schmidt, 1929 (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from the Northwest Pacific to the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Present study reports the occurrence of a poorly known species, known by only one specimen of its holotype, the Flower scorpionfish Hoplosebastes armatus Schmidt 1929, for the first time from waters of the Indian Ocean along the east coast of India on the basis of 24-specimens (SL 59–99 mm). Particularly occurring in the Northwest Pacific: Japan and East China Sea, range extension of the species from the Indian Ocean have been mentioned herein. The species was previously described on the basis of a single specimen collected from Japan with very minimum characteristics, thus this paper provides detailed information on the morphometrics and the range of variability in characters on the basis of 24 specimens collected from Indian Bay of Bengal. Thus, this paper provides more detailed information on the taxonomy and morphometrics of the poorly known species Hoplosebastes armatus Schmidt 1929.