Western Atlantic Scorpionfishes of the Genus Scorpaena, including Four New Species

Western Atlantic species of Scorpaena are treated. Four new species are described and S. isthmensis Meek and Hildebrand is reinstated, bringing to sixteen the number of species in the western Atlantic Ocean, though one is of doubtful occurrence in the western Atlantic. Synonymies, descriptions of adults and juveniles, comparisons with other species, and distribution, are given for all species. A key is included, and both adults and juveniles of most species are figured. The known distributions of the species have been greatly enlarged and many new records are included. Habitat preferences are shown by many species.