Scientific Name
Scorpaenopsis diabolus

Common Name
False stonefish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5 - 6. Pectoral fin rays usually 18; back arched; with about 45 vertical scale rows; lachrymal bone with 2 or 3 spines over maxillary, first points forward, followed by 1 or by 2 close-set spines which point down and back; suborbital ridge with 4 or more spinous points, usually more than 8 or 10 points, not in a row and of various sizes; a shallow pit below front corner of eye (Ref. 10482). Colorful inside the pectoral fins, used for display (Ref. 48635).

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1829

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Scorpionfishes or rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Range

32°N - 26°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

70 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 70 m (Ref. 559)

Trophic Level

4.2 s.e. 0.73 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4690)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated