Red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa)

Scientific name: Scorpaena scrofa Linnaeus, 1758

The Red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) is a brackish-water fish of the family Scorpaenidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Dark spot often on spinous dorsal.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Scorpaena scrofa
Family: Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 50.0
Common length: 30.0
Depth range: 20–500 m (66–1640 ft)
Environment: Marine; brackish; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 20 - 500 m, usually ? - 150 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: British Isles (rare) to Senegal including Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde. Also throughout the Mediterranean except Black Sea. South African species thought to be the same as population in the northeast Atlantic.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Venomous
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.08)

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

Last updated 27 September 2026