| Family: |
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes), subfamily: Scorpaeninae |
| Max. size: |
14 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 20 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: from the east coast of Africa and the Red Sea east to the Society Islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 13-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 5-5. Thie species is distinguished by the following set of characters: pectoral-fin rays 17-20 (mode 18), some rays branched in specimens over ca. 40 mm SL; dorsal-fin soft rays 7-9 (8); scale rows in longitudinal series 40-46 (43); underside of lower jaw scaleless; gill rakers 11-15 (13); with nasal spine; lateral lacrimal spine is usually present; suborbital spines 2, first spine below eye, second spine at end of suborbital ridge; no interorbital and coronal spines; opercle with a large dark blotch; no dark blotch on subopercle or spinous portion of dorsal fin (Ref. 106975). |
| Biology: |
Found in rock crevices in reef flats, shallow lagoons, and channels. Feeds mainly at night on small shrimps, crabs, and polychaetes. Anterolateral glandular groove with venom gland (Ref. 57406). Solitary and cryptic (Ref 90102). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
venomous |
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