NOTES ON THE FISH FAMILY SCORPAENIDAE (PISCES: SCORPAENIFORMES) IN THE CONTINENTAL COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN, INCLUDING A NEW RECORD

Abstract

Fifteen species of scorpaenids grouped in four genera (Neomerinthe, Pontinus, Scorpaena and Scorpaenodes) are known from the Colombian continental Caribbean. Caribbean scorpaenids may be separated in two ecological groups, those preferably inhabiting soft bottoms (Scorpaena calcarata is the most frequent species in Colombia), and those found in reef areas (Scorpaena plumieri, Scorpaena albifimbria and Scorpaenodes caribbaeus are the most frequent species in Colombia). The record of Pontinus rathbuni is remarkable, because it was unknown from Colombian waters, yet many specimens were collected trawling below 38 m in the Cartagena region. It seems that P. rathbuni and S. calcarata have two populations, one from North America, and another from South America; theses cases would be similar to that of P. longispinis, which includes two populations in the western Atlantic.