Peruvian scorpionfish (Scorpaena afuerae)

Scientific name: Scorpaena afuerae Hildebrand, 1946

The Peruvian scorpionfish (Scorpaena afuerae) is a marine fish of the family Scorpaenidae. Native range: Southeast Pacific, Ecuador and Peru. May occur north Ecuador, but this needs verification.

Biology

Body robust, its dorsal profile arched; head depressed, with a pronounced occipital fossa at the nape; sub-orbital rim with 3 to 4 spines; lower jaw without cirri; first gill arch with 15 to 16 rakers; lateral line with 24 cycloid scales; body uniformly red, with diffuse, indistinct, stripes and spots.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Scorpaena afuerae
Family: Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 35.0
Common length: 18.0
Depth range: 100 m (328 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 100 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Southeast Pacific: Ecuador and Peru. May occur north Ecuador, but this needs verification.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of potential interest
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026