| Family: |
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes), subfamily: Pteroinae |
| Max. size: |
38 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 40 - 300 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Natal, South Africa to southern Japan (Ref. 4313). Two populations apparently exists, the Western Pacific and SE African coast (Ref. 54479). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 13-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-8. Long filaments at the tips of the dorsal fin spines and outer rays of the caudal fin (Ref. 48635).
Description: Characterized by pale brownish or light grey color; head and body with irregular dark bars; dark brown pectoral fins with narrow blue bands; median fins with dark bands/spotting; deeply incised membranes of spinous portion of dorsal fin; enlarged and wing-like pectoral fins with rays fully connected by membranes except lower 7-8 with shallow incisions; elongated 1-2 upper caudal fin rays; body depth 3.3 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Usually found in sheltered coastal bays and fine sand or muddy habitats. May partly bury itself in the substrate during the day and is easily overlooked. When disturbed, the brightly colored pectoral fins probably serves to startle predators. The large fins serve primarily to corner prey when hunting (Ref. 48635). Trawled on soft bottom in coastal waters (Ref. 4313), to 300 m depth (Ref. 48635). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 July 2017 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
venomous |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
