WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Spotted Scorpionfish

Scorpaena plumieri

Also known as: Barbfish, Gurnard, Pacific Spotted Scorpionfish, Prickly Hind, Spotted Stone Scorpionfish, Stinging Grouper, Stone Scorpionfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
VenomousKeep your distance
Adult
@fishx6 · Bonaire - Andrea 1, Caribbean Netherlands · November 20101 / 28
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, during the day well camouflaged, often lying motionless on the bottom, dispersing at night hunting for food, over shallow, coral and rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans and small fish.

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

COLOURS

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 27
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, during the day well camouflaged, often lying motionless on the bottom, dispersing at night hunting for food, over shallow, coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 28

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Discussion 3

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3 comments

  • Teresa· 20 May 2015

    I caught, what I think, is a scorpion fish. Can anyone help me ID it from photos?

  • Teresa· 20 May 2015

    I caught, what I think, is a scorpion fish. Can anyone help me ID it from photos?

  • fishx6Top Contributor· 20 May 2015

    If you post your photo on the site we can have a look!

    Helpful
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FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderPerciformes
  5. familyScorpaenidae
  6. genusScorpaena
  7. speciesScorpaena plumieri Bloch, 1789

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)