WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Black scorpionfish

Scorpaena porcus

Also known as: Brown Scorpionfish, European Scorpionfish, Sea Pig, Sea Scorpion, Small-scaled Scorpionfish, Stingfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2020
Handle with careLook, don't touch
Adult
@jpc · Sesimbra, Portugal · June 19991 / 6
01

Overview

Found singly, well camouflaged, around algae and rocks, on mud and sand bottoms of harbours, lagoons and coastal reefs.

Scorpionfish are masters of camouflage, enabling them to lie in wait for their victims to come close, before lunging forward and inhaling their prey with their large mouths.
When disturbed they raise the spines along their backs and will usually move off out of harms way, however, if cornered they are able to charge at considerable speed.
Highly dangerous and poisonous with venomous spines along its back if trodden on etc.

02

How to identify

Pattern
blotches

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea
  • Exact location · 2
  • Country only · 4
LIVES IN

Found singly, well camouflaged, around algae and rocks, on mud and sand bottoms of harbours, lagoons and coastal reefs.

04

Adult photos 6

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderPerciformes
    5. familyScorpaenidae
    6. genusScorpaena
    7. speciesScorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)