| Family: |
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes), subfamily: Scorpaeninae |
| Max. size: |
19.4 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 2 - 55 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Polynesia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 5-5; Vertebrae: 24. An extra spine anterior to each tympanic spine, joined by a low ridge to postocular spine (absent in juveniles and southwest Pacific specimens from Fiji to southern Great Barrier Reef). Supraocular tentacles of adults absent or very small (Ref 42181)
Description: Characterized by having variable color depending on surroundings, generally mottled dark reddish to brownish grey; single upper opercular spine; relatively long snout, 3.0-3.2 in head length; interorbital width 5.8-7.1 in head length; shallow to moderately deep occipital pit; depth of body 2.6-3.1 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Solitary on rock or coral bottoms in 1-40 m (Ref 90102). Feeds on fishes (Ref. 89972). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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