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Dendrochirus brachypterus (Cuvier, 1829) Dwarf lionfish |
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photo by
Bailly, N. |
| Family: | Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes), subfamily: Pteroinae | |||
| Max. size: | 17 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 80 m | |||
| Distribution: | Indo-West Pacific: India and Sri Lanka eastward to Tonga; south to Australia; north to Japan. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 13-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 5-6. Body reddish with vague broad bars; paired fins with bars; median fins with small dark spots (Ref. 4313). Mid-dorsal spines shorter than body depth (Ref. 37816). Description: Characterized by variable colors: brownish, red or yellow overall; deeply incised membranes of spinous portion of dorsal fin; longest dorsal spine about 1.7 in body depth; enlarged and wing-like pectoral fins with rays fully connected by membranes except slightly incised between lower seven unbranched rays; depth of body 2.6 in SL (Ref. 90102). | |||
| Biology: | Common in reef flats and shallow lagoons, in areas with weed-covered rocks on sandy substrates. Adults often found on sponges and juveniles are sometimes found in small aggregations on remote bommies with 10 or so individuals (Ref. 48635). Nocturnal. Feeds on small crustaceans (Ref. 37816). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 March 2015 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | venomous | |||
| Country info: | A single specimen (CAS 29409, 66.1 mm SL) from the Philippines has relatively long pectoral fins (length 75.1 % of SL), the posterior tip of which extending slightly beyond vertical through the caudal-fin base. This is in contrast, with typical specimens of D. brachypterus which possess relatively short pectoral fin (length 47.0-67.8 % of SL) and the posterior tip not reaching the caudal-fin base. However, because there are no other noticeable differences found between this specimen and typical D. brachypterus, the former is regarded as aberrant (Ref. 116325). Also Ref. 1602, 2334, 90102. | |||