Holmes, R. B., Hamilton, N. M., Criswell, K. E., Smithson, K. Z., Herbert‐Read, J. E., & Chapuis, L. (2025). Structural and developmental insights into the muscles involved in lionfish (Pterois spp.) vocalisations. Journal of Fish Biology, 107, 1982–1994. 10.1111/jfb.70183
In the above article, the authors wish to clarify and correct aspects of the description and labelling of the anterior extrinsic sonic muscle (AESM).
-
First, the anatomical description of this muscle contained an error. The following sentence:
“We identified a further pair of anterior extrinsic muscles (AESMs) that originated dorsally and extended downwards contacting the swimbladder, terminating at the lower jaw (Figures 1–3). The anterior insertion of these muscles onto the swimbladder makes them viable candidates as additional sonic muscles.”
should be replaced with:
“We identified a further pair of anterior extrinsic muscles (AESMs) that originated dorsally and extended downwards contacting the swimbladder, terminating at the upper pharyngeal jaw. The contact of these muscles onto the swimbladder makes them viable candidates as additional sonic muscles.”
-
Second, the described AESMs do not insert directly onto the anterior wall of the swimbladder, but on the spinal cord, making contact with the swimbladder. Furthermore, the muscle referred to as the AESM throughout the manuscript corresponds anatomically to the retractor dorsalis muscle. Based on its size, position and close interface with the connective tissues attaching to the swim bladder, this muscle may have a role in sound production, but this has not been formally tested. Therefore, the following sentences should be replaced as follows:
- “Both species also displayed an additional pair of anterior extrinsic muscles, which projected dorsoventrally from the spinal column and inserted onto the anterior wall of the swimbladder, potentially also having a role in sound production.”
Should be replaced with:
“Both species also displayed an additional pair of anterior extrinsic muscles, corresponding to the retractor dorsalis, which projected dorsoventrally from the spinal column and made contact with the anterior wall of the swimbladder, potentially also having a role in sound production.”-
B“Both species also had an additional pair of anterior extrinsic sonic muscles (AESMs) that projected dorsoventrally from the spinal column and inserted onto the anterior wall of the swimbladder.”
Should be replaced with:
“Both species also had an additional pair of anterior extrinsic sonic muscles (AESMs) that projected dorsoventrally from the spinal column to the upper jaw, contacting the anterior wall of the swimbladder, and which also corresponds to the retractor dorsalis muscle.”-
C“The previously unreported pair of AESMs that inserted onto the anterior wall of the swimbladder are similar in location to the ventral muscles identified in male cryptic cusk eels (Parophidion vassali), which possess three pairs of sonic muscles.”
Should be replaced with
“The pair of AESMs that made contact with the anterior wall of the swimbladder are similar in location to the ventral muscles identified in male cryptic cusk eels (Parophidion vassali), which possess three pairs of sonic muscles.”
Finally, one muscle in Figure 1 of the original publication was incorrectly labelled as the AESM. The AESM lies deeper and was not visible in that particular dissection image.
FIGURE 1.
A cross‐section of an Indo‐pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans; TL: 151.2 mm, sex unknown) showing (left to right, top to bottom) the brain (B), Baudelot's ligament (BL), extrinsic sonic swimbladder muscle (ESSM), the anterior belly of the extrinsic sonic swimbladder muscle (AB), the connective tissue between the bellies of the extrinsic sonic swimbladder muscle (CT), the posterior belly of the extrinsic sonic swimbladder muscle (PB), the swimbladder (SB) and the swimbladder cap (C) where the extrinsic sonic swimbladder muscle attaches posteriorly to the swimbladder.
These corrections do not affect the main results or conclusions of the study, which focus on the anatomy and ontogenetic scaling of the extrinsic sonic swim bladder muscles (ESSMs).
We apologise for these errors.