Re-establishment of the monotypic genus Neoscorpaena Mandrytsa 2001 (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae), with a range extension of N. nielseni (Smith 1964) to the eastern Indian Ocean

A comprehensive morphological and molecular reassessment confirms the validity of the monotypic genus Neoscorpaena, previously regarded as taxonomically ambiguous. Our analyses reveal that Neoscorpaena is readily differentiated from other scorpaenid genera by a unique suite of characters including 12 dorsal-fin spines; 412 suborbital spines; the presence of palatine teeth; absence of both an occipital pit and an anterior lacrimal spine; partially branched pectoral-fin rays; a missing swimbladder; and lateral-line scales that extend onto the caudal-fin base. In addition, new records of Neoscorpaena nielseni (Smith 1964) from Western Australia expand the species known range from the southwestern to the eastern Indian Ocean. These findings not only resolve long-standing systematic uncertainties regarding the genus but also provide new insights into its biogeographical distribution in Western Australia.