Scorpionfish

ID points

• Head covered in skin flaps and spines, breaking up its outline
• Sits on the rock, hidden entirely by camouflage
• The front part of the dorsal fin is a row of venomous spines

Basics

Family

Scorpaenidae

Length

20–45 cm

Depth

1-200 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical rocky reef areas worldwide

Habitat

Rocky reefs and rubble bottoms

Diet

Small fish, crustaceans

Easily confused with

Leaf ScorpionfishBody extremely flattened side to side, like a fallen leafLionfishAlternating red and white bars over the whole bodyBlobfishFlesh soft and less dense than seawater, so it hangs in place by buoyancy

Fun fact

The scorpionfish is the supreme ambush hunter of the reef, coloured so like rock and weed that it is all but impossible to pick out. It sits perfectly still and engulfs prey the instant it swims close. The hard spines along its back carry a powerful venom, and a sting causes intense pain that can need medical attention.