Scientific Name
Scorpaena plumieri

Common Name
Pacific spotted scorpionfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Occipital pit present; three to four spines on part of preorbital overlapping maxillary; large white spots on dark background on inner basal part of pectoral fin (unclear in specimens smaller than 3 cm SL) (Ref. 13608).

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1789

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Scorpionfishes or rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Massachusetts, and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension and St. Helena.

Range

41°N - 21°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

60 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 60 m, usually 5 - 55 m (Ref. 5288)

Trophic Level

3.79 s.e. 0.55 Based on diet studies.

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

45.0 cm

Common Length

30.0 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

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (65 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4690)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated