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Members of the class Myxosporea Bütschli, 1881 have a cosmopolitan distribution in a wide variety of fish species worldwide. In the present study, the black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus collected from the Sinop coasts of the Black Sea was investigated for myxosporean parasites using both conventional and molecular methods in the period between September 2015 and August 2019. Using morphological and morphometric data, the myxosporean parasite Ceratomyxa scorpaeni Garbouj, Rangel, Castro, Hmissi, Santos, Bahri, 2016 was identified in the gall bladder of host fish. Molecular analysis of the 18S rDNA gene confirmed the identity of this parasite as C. scorpaeni. This is the first report of its occurrence in the Black Sea.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different cooking materials on some physical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of black scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) meat. To achieve this aim, scorpion fish fillets were divided into four groups as open-roasted (control), oven bag cooked (Group A), baking paper wrapped (Group B) and aluminum foil wrapped (Group C). All fillets were cooked in an electrical oven. The nutritional and amino acid composition, water activity and color measurements were carried out in all samples including raw fish. Sensorial properties of all cooked samples were also evaluated. On comparing the raw and cooked groups it was found that cooking materials had a considerable effect on the nutritional and amino acid composition. The protein and total amino acid contents of the Control group were higher than that of the other groups due to water loss. It was also determined that the aromatic amino acid content of the control group was higher than the other groups. The cooking losses varied according to the type of cooking material. The method of cooking in the baking paper can be said to be the most preferable method for this fish according to the sensory analysis results.

A taxonomic review of Indo-Pacific species of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaena resulted in the recognition of 21 valid species (including 2 subspecies and 2 new species) and 13 synonyms. The new species, Scorpaena longaecrista and Scorpaena sororreginae, were described on the basis of 50 and 23 specimens, respectively, from the west coast of Australia. Updated definitions of both the genus and species of Indo-Pacific Scorpaena, based on previously published characters and confirmed by examination of type and non-type specimens in this study, are provided. A diagnosis, synonymy, distribution, and list of specimens examined (or appropriate citation if previously published in detail) are given for each species, together with an identification key for all valid Indo-Pacific species of Scorpaena.

The effect of exposure to acute hypoxia on the level of methemoglobin (MtHb) in blood and the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in erythrocytes of the Black Scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus, Linnaeus 1758) was studied in experiments in vivo. The O2 concentration in seawater was reduced from 8.5–8.7 mgO2/L to the required values by pumping N2 into the water for 1.5–2.0 h. The concentration range of 0.35–8.50 mgO2/L was studied. The exposure lasted for 4 h at a water temperature of 14–16°C. This showed that at oxygen concentrations in water less than 2 mgO2/L part of hemoglobin passes into the ferric form. The effect was most pronounced in the case of acute hypoxia exposure (less than 1 mgO2/L). The maximum increase in the MtHb level was 19% of the total level of the pigment in blood. This correlated with a significant increase in the SOD and CAT activity in erythrocytes (with the coefficient of determination R2 higher than 0.750) and indicated an increase in the dismutation of superoxide anion in red blood cells.

The ultrastructure of the main sections of the mesonephros nephron in Black Sea teleost fish is studied. The species investigated are as follows: pelagic Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868) and Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810); epibenthic Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Spicara flexuosa Rafinesque, 1810; and demersal Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758, Gobius niger Linnaeus, 1758, and Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927. It is shown that in Black Sea fish, which inhabit different depths and are under different conditions of environmental osmotic pressure, nephrons at the tissue level of organization have a single structure and form glomerular kidneys. Fish adaptability to the habitat at certain depths is primarily manifested in an increase in the number and size of mitochondria of all types of nephron epithelial cells. A decrease in the renal corpuscles area, the length of podocytes, and height of tubular epithelial cells, as well as the brush border length of type I proximal tubules is also recorded. Nephron cytological peculiarities of pelagic, epibenthic, and demersal fish characterize a high adaptive capacity of the mesonephros cellular structures.

We studied the glycogen content in erythrocytes of two Black Sea cartilaginous fishes (Raja clavata, Dasyatis pastinaca) and four teleost species (Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus, Spicara flexuosa, Diplodus annularis, Scorpaena porcus). Glycogen accumulation in erythrocytes of teleost fish was about twice as high as in the ray fishes. Due to the unique ability of thornback ray R. clavata erythrocytes to well preserve their cell integrity in vitro in the cold (4°C), the dynamics of glycogen expenditure in erythrocytes was tracked over 11 days of storage until cell disintegration. Erythrocytes spent glycogen economically: during the entire storage period, only 52% of glycogen were spent. In the black scorpionfish S. porcus, erythrocytes were far less tolerant to being stored in the cold. The stability period of S. porcus erythrocytes suspended in physiological saline did not exceed two days. During this period, no significant changes in the glycogen concentration were observed.

Comparative study of size-weight characteristics, lipid peroxidation (LPO) parameters and antioxidants content in the liver of marine scorpion fish Scorpaena porcus caught in the coastal waters of the Caucasus at the region of Shepsy village demonstrated age-related differences. The increase of the size and weight, the mass of the liver and gonads was observed in the elder fish, while the condition index varied less. Liver somatic index (LSI) increased in 2-3 years old animals, in the elder fish the growth of this parameters was slowly. Significant increase of gonadosomatic index (GSI) was noted in 4-5 years old animals, while the differences between 2 and 3 years groups were not observed. Lipid oxidation index and relative concentration of the ketodiens did not vary in age. Content of dien conjugates in hepatic lipids was significantly lower (p

Despite the ban on the use of organochlorine compounds (OCs), they are still widely distributed in various components of the Black Sea ecosystem, including fish. Sevastopol marine area, as a region of active economic use, is subject to significant anthropogenic impact. To assess the condition of the Black Sea scorpion fish Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758, from Sevastopol bays (Aleksandrovskaya, Streletskaya, Balaklavskaya, and Kazach’ia) and coastal areas (Laspi bay and Lyubimovka region), the liver of fish was analyzed to compare integrated biomarker response (IBR) and the concentrations of OCs: six indicator congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB6) and organochlorine pesticides – р,p’-DDT and its metabolites p,p’-DDE and p,p’-DDD (ΣDDT). High concentrations of PCBs and DDTs were found in fish liver from Alexandrovskaya and Streletskaya bays, which are subject to significant anthropogenic impact: 2044 and 2019 ng/g wet weight for ΣPCB6 and 162 and 319 ng/g wet weight for ΣDDT, respectively. To determine the response of scorpion fish to the level of pollution, the liver of fish was analyzed to measure such biochemical markers as cholinesterase and catalase activities, albumin content, and the levels of oxidized proteins and lipid peroxidation. The set of these biochemical markers was used to calculate IBR. IBR correlated well with the ΣPCB6 concentration in sediments and liver of scorpion fish (r=0.95, p

Scorpaeniformes are an important component of commercial and recreational fisheries world-wide. The Neosebastes species, found in the western Pacific and south-east Indian Ocean, have received little attention from a research perspective. Samples of the bighead gurnard perch, Neosebastes pandus, collected from the lower west and south coasts of Western Australia, were used to undertake the first comprehensive investigation of the biological characteristics of a Neosebastes species. Opaque zones in sectioned sagittal otoliths were validated as forming annually. Female N. pandus grow to a significantly larger size, on average, than males and dominate the largest size classes, while males, growing to a smaller size, accumulate in the intermediate size classes. Although males were far less numerous than females in those age classes in which both sexes were found, males and females attain similar maximum ages >25 years. Neosebastes pandus spawns over a brief period between May (austral late autumn) and July (austral mid-autumn) when water temperature and day length are declining. The mean monthly gonadosomatic indices (GSI, IGS ) values of females during the spawning period are 37-50 times higher than those of males, which mature at an earlier age and smaller length compared to females. Histological examination of the ovaries of females indicate that their structure is consistent with "general" teleost ovarian anatomy and thus differs from Scorpaena, Helicolenus and Sebastes species whose ovaries are adapted for specialized reproductive modes. The reproductive strategy of N. pandus of maximizing the reproductive output of females, by this sex attaining a larger size than males and pair spawning (i.e., large disparity in IGS values) demonstrates the close lineage between the Neosebastes and other Scorpaeniformes, such as the Scorpaena, Helicolenus and Sebastes.

Assessment of the condition of adult specimens of the scorpion fish Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758 was carried out on individuals captured in the bays of Sevastopol (Balaklavskaya, Streletskaya, Sevastopolskaya and Karantinnaya) in 2017–2018. The increase in size-mass values with the age was found to be low or absent (especially for males), which indicates the poor feeding conditions in the period from 2012–2013 to the current time. At the same time, S. porcus from Sevastopolskaya Bay are under the bestfunctional condition, which is expressed as a larger increase in size, weight and hepatosomatic index (HSI) of fish with age compared to those from other water areas. High values of condition factor and HSI of S. porcuscaught in Balaklavskaya and Streletskaya bays are probably associated with the calorie content of the diet of scorpion. In winter, spring and autumn, Malacostraca predominate in the food clot of S. porcus (15, 19, and 14%, respectively), and in summer – Pisces (14 %). In addition, in 2017–2018 the nutritional diversity of S.porcus has changed compared to the data of the last century and the beginning of the present century (including 2014). The changes of food spectrum of scorpion fish from Decapoda to smaller species of Malacostraca were probably due to acute decrease in the number of decapod crustaceans compared to the previous century.

Comparative analysis was carried out for some biochemical characteristics of the liver of Black Scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758, from Sevastopol water areas (the Black Sea) with different levels of integrated pollution. The concentration of the oxidized proteins , lipid peroxidation , and the activity of aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase in the liver of black scorpionfish from heavier polluted water areas (Streletskaya and Aleksandrovskaya) were found to be reliably higher than those for fish from Kazach’ya Bay. The causes of this difference were considered and the information content of the examined biomarkers for assessing the quality of marine coastal water areas was analyzed.

Black scorpion fish (Scorpaena porcus) is an important species for both artisanal and industrial fisheries in the Turkish Black Sea, with 306 tonnes landed in 2017. The diet composition of this species was investigated through the examination of their stomach contents. A total of 621 S. porcus (ranging from 12.79–765.5 g) were caught by trammel net in the south-eastern Black Sea (Turkish waters) from December 2015 to November 2016. The importance of prey items in the diet of S. porcus was assessed using the Index of Relative Importance (%IRI). Overall, the dominant species was the isopod Idotea balthica (52.8%IRI) followed by decapods (38.5%IRI) and teleosts (8.7%IRI). Seasonal variations in the diets were observed, with isopods predominant in autumn (>85%IRI), teleosts in winter (>77%IRI) and decapod crustaceans (>78%IRI) in spring and summer. The modified Costello's graphical analysis evinced a specialist feeding strategy for S. porcus during winter, spring and autumn while a shift to generalistic feeding strategy was exhibited in summer by a limited number of S. porcus individuals.

Scorpaena guttata Girard, 1854. California Scorpionfish. To 47 cm (18.5 in) SL (Gartman and Groce 1998); about 57.9 cm (22.3 in) TL based on conversion factors in Love et al. (1987). Santa Cruz, central California to Gulf of California (Miller and Lea 1972). Benthic; depth: intertidal to 266 m (872 ft) (min.: Metz 1912; max.: City of San Diego 2020). A maximum depth record from the NWFSC-FRAM database of 861 m (2,824 ft) is very probably in error., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Gartman, R. & Groce, A. (1998) Demersal fishes and megabenthic invertebrates. In: Vereker, L. & Stebbins, T. (Eds.), City of San Diego Ocean Monitoring Program 1997 Receiving Water Monitoring Report, pp. 69 - 80.","Love, M. S., Axell, B., Morris, P., Collins, R. & Brooks, A. (1987) Life history and fishery of the California scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata, within the southern California Bight. Fishery Bulletin, 85, 99 - 116.","Miller, D. J. & Lea, R. N. (1972) Guide to the coastal marine fishes of California. California Department of Fish and Game Fish Bulletin, 157.","Metz, C. W. (1912) The Fishes of Laguna Beach, California. First Annual Report of the Laguna Marine Laboratory.","City of San Diego. 2020. Comprehensive Listing of Demersal Fish Species Collected by the City of San Diego's Ocean Monitoring Program. City of San Diego, Public Utilities Department, Environmental Monitoring and Technical Services Division, San Diego, CA. Updated August 2020."]}

Scorpaena russula Jordan & Bollman, 1890. Reddish Scorpionfish or Shortspine Red Scorpionfish. To 23 cm (9.1 in) TL (Moncayo-Estrada et al. 2006). Bah��a Abreojos (26��48���N, 113��25���W), southern Baja California (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California) to Chimbote, Peru (Chirichigno and V��lez 1998), including Gulf of California (Allen and Robertson 1994). Benthic; depth: 7���160 m (23���525 ft) (min.: Personal communication: Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Fish Collection, Los Angeles, California; max.: Robertson and Allen 2002)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Moncayo-Estrada, R., Castro-Aguirre, J. L. & de la Cruz-Aguero, J. (2006) A fish checklist for the ichthyofauna of Bahia de Banderas, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 77, 67 - 80 [In Spanish].","Chirichigno, F. N. & Velez D, J. (1998) Clave para identificaticar los peces marinos del Peru (segunda edicion, revisada y actualizada). Instituto de Mar de Peru Publicacion Especial.","Allen, G. R. & Robertson, D. R. (1994) Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.","Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2002) Shorefishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system. CD-ROM. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama."]}

Scorpaena sonorae Jenkins & Evermann, 1889. Sonora Scorpionfish. To 18 cm (7.1 in) TL (Allen and Robertson 1994). Southern Baja California (26��07.7���N, 113��04.2���W) (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California), to Gulf of California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995), to Guerrero State, Mexico (Amezcua Linares 1996). Benthic; depth: surface (nightlight; Personal Communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California), 1���91 m (4���300 ft) (min.: Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California; max.: Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Allen, G. R. & Robertson, D. R. (1994) Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.","Fischer, W., Krupp, F., Schneider, W., Sommer, C., Carpenter, K. E. & Niem, V. H. (1995) Guia FAO para la identificacion para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico centro-oriental. Volume II, Vertebrados, Parte 1. Volume III, Vertebrados, Parte 2. FAO, Rome.","Amezcua Linares, F. (1996) Peces Demersales de la Platforma Continental del Pacifico Central de Mexico. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico."]}

Scorpaena mystes Jordan & Starks, 1895. Pacific Spotted Scorpionfish or Stone Scorpionfish. To 51 cm (20 in) TL (Robertson and Allen 2015). Redondo Beach, southern California (Swift 1986) to Chile (Peque��o 1989), including Gulf of California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995), Islas Gal��pagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997), and other offshore islands (Robertson and Allen 2002). Benthic; depth: intertidal to 100 m (328 ft) (min.: Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California; max.: Robertson and Allen 2015)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Jordan, D. S. & Starks, E. C. (1895) The fishes of Puget Sound. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 5, 785 - 855.","Robertson, D. R. and Allen, G. R. (2015) Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific: an Information System. Version 2.0 (2008). Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa. http: // biogeodb. stri. si. edu / sftep / en / pages","Swift, C. C. (1986) First record of the spotted scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri, from California: the curtain falls on \" a comedy of errors. \" California Fish and Game, 72, 176 - 178.","Pequeno R., G. (1989) Peces de Chile lista sistematica revisada y comentada. Revista de Biologia Marina y Oceanografia, 24, 1 - 132.","Fischer, W., Krupp, F., Schneider, W., Sommer, C., Carpenter, K. E. & Niem, V. H. (1995) Guia FAO para la identificacion para los fines de la pesca. Pacifico centro-oriental. Volume II, Vertebrados, Parte 1. Volume III, Vertebrados, Parte 2. FAO, Rome.","Grove, J. S. & Lavenberg, R. J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.","Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2002) Shorefishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system. CD-ROM. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama."]}

Scorpaena histrio Jenyns, 1840. Bandfin Scorpionfish, Darkblotch Scorpionfish, or Player Scorpionfish. To 27.3 cm (10.7 in) TL (John Snow, pers. comm. to M.L.). Isla Guadalupe, central Baja California (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California) to Chile (Peque��o 1989), including Gulf of California (Robertson and Allen 2002), and Islas Gal��pagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Benthic; depth: 5���200 m (17���656 ft) (Robertson and Allen 2015)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Pequeno R., G. (1989) Peces de Chile lista sistematica revisada y comentada. Revista de Biologia Marina y Oceanografia, 24, 1 - 132.","Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2002) Shorefishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system. CD-ROM. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama.","Grove, J. S. & Lavenberg, R. J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.","Robertson, D. R. and Allen, G. R. (2015) Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific: an Information System. Version 2.0 (2008). Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa. http: // biogeodb. stri. si. edu / sftep / en / pages"]}

Scorpaena afuerae Hildebrand, 1946. Peruvian Scorpionfish. To 38 cm (15 in) (John Snow, pers. comm. to M.L.). Todos Santos (23��24.6���N, 110��13.8���W), southern Baja California (John Snow, pers. comm. to M.L.), southern Gulf of California (John Snow, pers. comm. to M.L.), to Costa Rica through to Peru; Isla del Cocos (Robertson and Allen 2008). Benthic; depth: 35���100 m (115���320 ft) (Robertson and Allen 2015)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2008) Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific: an Information System. Version 1.0 (2008). Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa.","Robertson, D. R. and Allen, G. R. (2015) Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific: an Information System. Version 2.0 (2008). Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa. http: // biogeodb. stri. si. edu / sftep / en / pages"]}

This study presents the length-weight relationships (LWR) for 12 commercial fish species from coastal waters off South Corfu Island (N. Ionian Sea, Greece). All fish originated from the catches made by a single artisanal fisherman during April – September 2009. Multiple types of predominantly static fishing gear were used, mainly gillnets (mesh size: 28 mm) operated at depths of 10–40 m and trammel nets (mesh sizes: 22, 24, 28, 32, 34, 36, 40 mm) operated at depths of 7–70 m. Moreover, bottom longlines and trolling lines were occasionally used, at depths of 20–50 m and 35 m, respectively. Length (TL) in cm and weight in g of all the individuals in the catches were measured in the laboratory. Estimates of the b parameter ranged between species from 2.652 to 3.593. For none of the fish species examined in the present paper has LWR information been published before for the N. Ionian Sea, and for six of them (i.e. for Epinephelus costae, Labrus viridis, Oblada melanura, Sarda sarda, Scomber colias and Scorpaena porcus) there is no LWR information for the Ionian Sea as a whole. The results of this study may thus contribute in fisheries management and marine conservation in the Ionian Sea by providing baseline LWR information for several commercial fish species based on samples of local populations. Moreover, this study contributes in complementing the few LWR datasets that exist in the international literature for E. costae and L. viridis.

A comparative analysis of hepatic biochemical indicators in three demersal Black Sea fish species—scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus (Linnaeus, 1758), round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) and knout goby Mesogobius batrachocephalus (Pallas 1814)—was carried out. The interspecific differences between the indicators of the prooxidant-antioxidant system (activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and oxidized proteins) and other liver biomarkers (aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, triglyceride levels) were analyzed. The reasons for the revealed changes are discussed.

The effect of short-term hypoxia on the activity of oxidoreductases – malate dehydrogenase (MDH, 1.1.1.37) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, 1.1.1.27) in the scorpaena organs determining an urgent adaptation to oxygen deficiency – brain and gills (first branchial arch) was studied. The control group of fish was exposed to 4.5–6.7 mg O2 L –1 (normoxia), experimental groups were kept under 1.7–3.7 mg O2 L –1 (mild hypoxia) and to 0.3–1.0 mg O2 L –1 (acute hypoxia). The oxygen content in the water was reduced by saturating it with nitrogen. All groups of fish were ex- posed to examined condition during 90 min under 21–22 ° С. It was shown that hypoxia had not a significant im- pact on the brain structures of scorpaena. Under acute hypoxia MDH, LDH activity, MDH/LDH index and ATP content in forebrain, diencephalon, midbrain (FDMB) and medulla (MB) remained at the level of control values. Mild hypoxia caused a proportional rise of MDH, LDH activity and increased ATP level in FDMB like a consequence of the reducing need in ATP in these brain area. Above-mentioned phenomenon could be based on the GABA-ergic mechanism of the regulation of brain tissue activity that is able to reduce the energetic needs of the nervous tissue through the increased density in GABA A receptor apparatus. The gill tissue had a minimal activity of MDH, LDH on the background of high MDH/LDH index value. Acute hypoxia was accompanied by the drop in LDH activity and increased MDH/LDH which was related to anaerobic mode of operation in gill tissue. Under acute hypoxia there was an increase in the relationship in “MDH activity ↔ LDH activity” system (r = 0.81–0.94, p < 0.05–0.01) in all types of tissues, which is typical for the species tolerant to oxygen deficiency. Probably, this effect is achieved by the conjugation of MDH with glycolysis substrates in the conditions of acute O 2 deficiency, which excludes the accumulation of lactate during metabolic depression.

Comparative study of size and weight characteristics, lipid peroxidation (LPO) parameters and antioxidants content in the liver of marine scorpion fish Scorpaena porcus caught in the coastal waters of the Caucasus at the region of Shepsy village demonstrated gender differences. Size and weight parameters of the female were greater than the values of male (p

The body size and age structure, as well as the features of growth and sexual maturation, of black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus from the coastal waters of southwestern Crimea are analyzed. The average body length and weight are larger in the females than in the males: 16.4 cm and 93.0 g vs. 14.9 cm and 62.0 g. The maximum age of the females and males in the catches is 11 and 12 years, respectively. The females (50%) reach sexual maturity by the age of 3−4 years at 13.9 cm TL, while the males (50%) reach sexual maturity by the age of 2−3 years at 13.0 cm TL. After sexual maturation, the growth rate of the fish decreases, but the growth rate of the females is higher than that of the males. The black scorpionfish from Crimea differs from the representatives of this species from the Mediterranean Sea in a slower growth rate.

Age structure and growth dynamics are examined for the black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758, from three sites characterized by different levels of pollution: Kazach’ya, Alexandrovskaya, and Streletskaya bays. No substantial differences were found in age structures, which largely correspond to the natural state of the population; differences between the mean age in the least polluted Kazach’ya Bay and the most polluted Streletskaya Bay are not significant (p = 0.35). According to the indicators L∞, W∞, k of females, φ of females, and φ' of females, the black scorpionfish from the least polluted Kazach’ya Bay is characterized by a higher growth rate. However, nonsignificance of differences in the values of these parameters in comparison with the more polluted Streletskaya and Aleksandrovskaya bays does not allow an unambiguous conclusion to be made about the fish growth delay in the latter two.

This study was conducted to discriminate fiveScorpaenaspecies and populations of each species according to morphometric characters. A total of 1865 fish specimens were collected from the eight locations in the four Turkish seas: Antalya, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Hatay, İzmir, Marmara Ereğlisi, Ordu and Şile. In the study, 26 morphometric traits were measured for intra- and interspecific discrimination of fiveScorpaenaspecies. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, principal components analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis. As results of the PCA, 10 traits forS. maderensisandS. scrofa,12 traits forS. elongataand 13 traits forS. notataandS. porcuswere found to be important for intraspcific discrimination. The overall classification scores of intraspecific discrimination were determined as 94.6% forS. elongata, 90.5% forS. maderensis, 96.7% forS. notata, 96.5% forS. porcusand 92.2% forS. scrofa. The PCA indicated that 13 morphometric measurements among the 26 traits are important in the interspecific discrimination of fiveScorpaenaspecies. The cross-validated canonical discriminant analysis was correctly classified as 97.4% at theScorpaenaspecies level. The discrimination of correctly classified species ranged from 94.8% to 100%. Finally, we demonstrated that the morphometric characters examined in the present study can be used successfully in the intra- and interspecific discrimination ofScorpaenaspecies from different habitats., Este estudio se realizó para discriminar cinco especies deScorpaenay poblaciones de cada especie en función de los caracteres morfométricos. Se recolectaron un total de 1865 especímenes de peces de los ocho lugares como Antalya, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Hatay, İzmir, Marmara Ereğlisi, Ordu y Şile en los cuatro mares turcos. En el estudio, se midieron 26 rasgos morfométricos para discriminaciones intra e interespecies de cinco especies deScorpaena. Los datos se sometieron a ANOVA, análisis de componentes principales (PCA) y análisis discriminante canónico (CDA). Como resultado del PCA, 10 rasgos paraS. maderensisyS. scrofa, 12 rasgos paraS. elongata, 13 rasgos paraS. notatayS. porcusson importantes para la discriminación intraespecífica. Las puntuaciones generales de clasificación de discriminación intraespecífica se determinaron como 94,6% paraS. elongata, 90,5% paraS. maderensis, 96,7% paraS. notata, 96,5% paraS. porcusy 92,2% paraS. scrofa. La PCA indicó que 13 medidas morfométricas entre los 26 rasgos son importantes en la discriminación interespecífica de cinco especies deScorpaena. El análisis discriminante canónico con validación cruzada clasificó correctamente como 97,4% a nivel de la especieScorpaena. La discriminación de especies correctamente clasificadas osciló entre 94,8 y 100%. Finalmente, demostramos que los caracteres morfométricos examinados en el presente estudio se pueden utilizar con éxito en las discriminaciones intra e interespecies de especies deScorpaenade diferentes hábitats.