Bony fish · Scorpaeniformes · Scorpaenidae

Red Scorpionfish

Scorpaena scrofa

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Scorpaena scrofa is a fish of the family Scorpaenidae, red in colour and covered in spines. The spiny rays are connected to venom glands that can cause severe pain, swelling and even fever. It can weigh almost 3 kg, but specimens over 1.5-2 kg are rare. It is normally found at depths from 10 to 500 m, although it can also be found in shallow water half-buried in the sand.

Weight

up to 3 kg

Size

up to 50 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanCarnivore Solitary Fish Ocean

31countries 36parks 73dive sites1same family

Fun facts

It has venomous spines in its dorsal fins, capable of inflicting very painful wounds on anyone who handles it carelessly.
Its camouflage and its supraocular tentacles make it almost indistinguishable from the rocky bottom, where it waits motionless for prey to pass.
It is the classic ingredient of Marseille bouillabaisse and of many Mediterranean fish soups.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment: Rocky and coralligenous bottoms of the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, between 20 and 500 m although almost always above 150 m

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpaena_scrofa