Red scorpionfish
Scorpaena scrofa
- Scientific name
- Scorpaena scrofa
- Group
- Reef fish
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Mediterranean
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The red scorpionfish blends almost perfectly into rocks and sand thanks to its textured skin and reddish tones, staying motionless to ambush prey. Its venomous dorsal spines deliver a very painful sting, though it's rarely dangerous to humans.
What defines this group — Reef fish
The bony fish that live against coral and rock: the living backdrop of almost every dive.
- A bony skeleton, scales, and a rigid gill cover closing over the gills.
- A swim bladder acts as a float: they hold their depth without swimming.
- Many change colour, pattern — sometimes even sex — over the course of their life.
Other species in this group
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Blue tang
- Red lionfish
- Spot-fin porcupinefish
- Mediterranean moray
- Clark's anemonefish