''Minous'', is a genus of marine

ray-finned fishes Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class (biology), class of Osteichthyes, bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built ...

, it is the only

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

in the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

Minoini, one of the three tribes which are

classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...

within the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Synanceiinae Synanceiinae is a subfamily of venomous ray-finned fishes, waspfishes, which is classified as part of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are primarily mari ...

within the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Scorpaenidae The Scorpaenidae (also known as scorpionfish) are a family (biology), family of mostly ocean, 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 ...

, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. They are commonly known as stingfishes. They are found in the

Indo-West Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the s ...

Taxonomy

''Minous'' was first described as a genus by the French

zoologist Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the structure, embryology, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems. Zoology is one ...

Georges Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, baron Cuvier (23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier (; ), was a French natural history, naturalist and zoology, zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuv ...

, in 1876

Pieter Bleeker Pieter Bleeker (10 July 1819 – 24 January 1878) was a Dutch medical doctor, Ichthyology, ichthyologist, and Herpetology, herpetologist. He was famous for the ''Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néêrlandaises'', his monumental work on ...

designated ''Minous monodactylus'', which had originally been described as ''Scorpaena monodactyla'' by Bloch and Schneider in 1801, as its

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, 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 spe ...

. It is the only genus in the tribe Minoini within the subfamily Synanceiinae of the family Scorpaenidae. However, some authorities classify this taxon as a subfamily, Minoinae, Others include it within the subfamily Choridactylinae, within the family Synanceiidae. The genus name, ''Minous'', is a latinisation of ''woorah minooh'', the name that in 1803 the herpetologist Patrick Russell reported was used for the type species in

Vizagapatam Visakhapatnam (; formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is between the Eastern Ghats and the coast of t ...

on the

Coromandel Coast The Coromandel Coast is a coastal region along the southeastern front of the Indian peninsula. Its delimitations are numerous, but generally admitted to be bounded by the Krishna River, Krishna river River mouth, mouth to the north, the Bay of B ...

in India.

Species

There are currently 15 recognized species in this genus: * ''

Minous andriashevi ''Minous'', is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, it is the only genus in the tribe Minoini, one of the three tribes which are classified within the subfamily Synanceiinae within the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. ...

Mandritsa Mandritsa (, "Small dairy"; ) is a village in southernmost Bulgaria, part of Ivaylovgrad municipality, Haskovo Province. It is known as the only Albanians, Albanian village in Bulgaria. As of 14 December 2006, Mandritsa has a population of 75. It ...

, 1990 * ''

Minous coccineus ''Minous'', is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, it is the only genus in the Tribe (biology), tribe Minoini, one of the three tribes which are Classification of living organisms, classified within the subfamily Synanceiinae within the Family ( ...

Alcock Alcock is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfred William Alcock, British naturalist * C. W. Alcock, British sports administrator, creator of the FA Cup * Charles R. Alcock, American astronomer * Deborah Alcock, British auth ...

, 1890 (Onestick stingfish) * '' Minous dempsterae'' Eschmeyer, Hallacher & Rama Rao, 1979 (Oblique-banded stingfish) *'' Minous groeneveldi'' Matsunuma & Motomura, 2018 (Groeneveld’s stingfish) * '' Minous inermis'' Alcock, 1889 (Alcock's scorpionfish) * '' Minous longimanus'' Regan, 1908 * '' Minous monodactylus'' (

Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include: A *Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881–1925), Austrian entrepreneur *Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter *Alexandre Bloch (1857–1919), French painter *Alfred Bloch ( ...

& J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Grey stingfish) * '' Minous pictus'' Günther, 1880 (Painted stinger) * ''

Minous pusillus ''Minous'', is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, it is the only genus in the tribe Minoini, one of the three tribes which are classified within the subfamily Synanceiinae within the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. ...

Temminck Coenraad Jacob Temminck (; 31 March 1778 – 30 January 1858) was a Dutch patrician, zoologist and museum director. Biography Coenraad Jacob Temminck was born on 31 March 1778 in Amsterdam in the Dutch Republic. From his father, Jacob ...

Schlegel Schlegel is a German occupational surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anthony Schlegel (born 1981), American football player * August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845), German poet, brother of Friedrich * Brad Schlegel (born 1968), C ...

, 1843 (Dwarf stingfish) * '' Minous quincarinatus'' ( Fowler, 1943) * '' Minous radiatus'' Matsunuma & Motomura, 2018 * '' Minous roseus'' Matsunuma & Motomura, 2018 * '' Minous trachycephalus'' (

Bleeker Bleeker is a Dutch occupational surname. Bleeker is an old spelling of ''(linnen)bleker'' ("linen bleacher").Minous usachevi ''Minous'', is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, it is the only genus in the tribe Minoini, one of the three tribes which are classified within the subfamily Synanceiinae within the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. ...

'' Mandritsa, 1993 * '' Minous versicolor'' J. D. Ogilby, 1910 (Plum-striped stingfish)

Characteristics

''Minous'' stingishes are small, most are less than in

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

with mainly scaleless bodies. the lowest ray of the

pectoral fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish aquatic locomotion, swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the vertebral column ...

is detached from the fin and is tipped with a cap. The dorsal fins have between 8 and 12 spines and 10 and 14 soft rays, although there is one species with only 4 spines and 18 soft rays. The

anal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported o ...

has 2 spine and between 7 and 11 soft rays. Their pelvic fin has a single spine and 5 soft rays and the pectoral fin has 12 soft rays. The soft fin rays are unbranched. They may or may not have a swim bladder.

Distribution and habitat

''Minous'' stingfishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region from the

Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...

east into the Western pacific, north to Japan and south to Australia. These fishes are found on mud and sand bottoms where they use the detached lower pectoral fin rays to walk over the substrate.

Biology

''Minous'' stingfishes have a venom gland at the base of their fin spines with an anterolateral glandular groove in the spine which takes the venom to the tip. Some species are known to have commensal relationships with hydroids in the order

Anthoathecata Anthoathecata, or the athecate hydroids, are an order of hydrozoans belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. A profusion of alternate scientific names exists for this long-known and heavily discussed group. It has also been called Gymnoblastea and (with ...

, there are records of commensalism between various species of ''Minous'' and the hydroids of '' Hydractinia minoi''.

References

External links

Video of habits on sea floor
by Emeric Benhalassa off Bali, Indonesia, 2 June 2017, National Geographic {{Taxonbar, from=Q2335452 Synanceiinae Marine fish genera Taxa named by Georges Cuvier