Ghostly scorpionfish (Scorpaena gasta)

Scientific name: Scorpaena gasta Motomura, Last & Yearsley, 2006

The Ghostly scorpionfish (Scorpaena gasta) is a marine fish of the family Scorpaenidae. Native range: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Australia.

Biology

This species has the following set of characters: 15 pectoral-fin rays; 36-40 longitudinal scale rows; 13 or 14 scales below lateral line; 5 scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line; 0-2 exposed predorsal scale rows; 13 gill rakers; anteroventral surface of body and pectoral-fin base covered with well-exposed scales; no median ridge at the anterior surface of preocular spine; a distinct longitudinal ridge on the lateral surface of maxilla; no spines on lateral surface of lacrimal; anterior lacrimal spine simple; occipital pit extremely deep; relatively thick skin with numerous small sensory pores covering predorsal area from posterior edge of occipital pit to first dorsal-fin spine origin (most predorsal scales embedded in skin), and extending to just above or near first pored lateral-line scale; similar skin with pores between opercular spines and covering upper spine; head and trunk with numerous tentacles, supraocular tentacle longest, about equal to or 1.5 tim

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Scorpaena gasta
Family
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
8.4
Depth range
3–17 m (10–56 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; depth range 3 - 17 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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