Family Scorpaenidae

Scorpionfishes

Scorpionfishes are well-known for their venomous spines that are capable of inflicting serious or even fatal wounds.   Fortunately Hawaiian species are not as dangerous but still worthy of respect and caution.  Stings should be treated by soaking the affected area in hot water.  They are ambush predators of fishes and crustaceans, using cryptic coloration to sit motionless until prey blunders into range.  Decoy Scorpionfishes undulate their spiny dorsal fin as a lure.  Most scorpionfishes will leave shelter at night to feed upon large zooplankton or small fish and crustaceans, while the Titan and Devil Scorpionfishes feed upon diurnal reef fishes.

Rockfishes consist of temperate species that don't appear prickly or stone-like.  They are important commercially but grow slowly and many are threatened.

 

HAWAII

Dendrochirus barberi    endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Angel Ledge, Midway, 100 feet

Angel Ledge, Midway, 85 feet

 HAWAIIAN or GREEN LIONFISH

Endemic to Hawaii.  Fairly common among rocks and seaweed in sandy areas at any depth but normally hidden by day.  Up to 7 inches.  

Pterois sphex    endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Twin Arches, Midway, 50 feet

 

Macaw Wreck, Midway, 25 feet

Phoenix, Midway, 40 feet

 

Deep Pocket, Midway, 80 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 30 feet

Twin Arches, Midway, 50 feet

 HAWAIIAN TURKEYFISH

Endemic to Hawaii.  Frequently seen among caverns and ledges at Midway but rare around the Main Hawaiian Islands due to aquarium collecting.  Up to 8 inches.

Iracundus signifer

Corsair, Midway, 115 feet

 

Night, Black Rock, Oahu, 85 feet

Black Rock, Oahu, 85 feet

  DECOY SCORPIONFISH

Uncommon under ledges and in caverns at depths greater than 50 feet.  Attains 5 inches.  Small black spot and yellow area on forward spiny dorsal fin.  Undulates its dorsal fin to attract prey.  Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific.

Rhinopias xenops

Angel Ledge, Midway, 80 feet

 

Corsair wreck, Midway, 115 feet

Corsair wreck, Midway, 115 feet

  HIGH-EYE SCORPIONFISH or HAWAIIAN RHINOPIAS

Rare from 200 to 400 feet but as shallow as 80 feet at Midway.  Always rare.  Up to 8 inches.  Hawaii and the Kii Peninsula in Japan.

Sebastapistes fowleri

Black Rock, Oahu, 50 feet

 

Blowhole, Oahu, 50 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 40 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 40 feet

DWARF SCORPIONFISH

Uncommon in Cauliflower Corals.  Up to 2 inches.  Reddish brown with fine white dots.  Indo-Pacific and Hawaii.

Scorpaenodes corallinus

Night, Puako, Hawaii, 40 feet

CORAL SCORPIONFISH

Rarely seen within Finger Corals.  Up to 4 inches.  White bar on caudal peduncle and diagonal bar from pectoral to dorsal fin.  Hawaii and various islands in the Indian & Pacific Oceans.

Scorpaenodes littoralis

Cargo Pier, Midway, 30 feet

CHEEKSPOT SCORPIONFISH

Rare in Hawaii except at Midway, common in Japan.  Red eyes and dark spot on gill cover.  About 4 inches.  Subtropical locations in the Indian & Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea..  

Scorpaenodes parvipinnis

Night, Makaha, Oahu, 25 feet

Night, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 25 feet

 LOWFIN SCORPIONFISH

Uncommon in dark holes and caverns at scuba depths, usually seen at night when white saddles are prominent.  Up to 5 inches long.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

Scorpaenopsis brevifrons     endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Angel Ledge, Midway, 80 feet

 

Welles Harbor, Midway, 30 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 40 feet

 SHORTSNOUT SCORPIONFISH

Endemic to Hawaii.  Inhabits barren reefs and rubble zones.  Stout body with blunt head and protruding eyes.  Most common in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands on dead barren reefs.  Up to 7 inches.

Sebastapistes ballieui    endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Haleiwa Beach, Oahu, 10 feet

 

Channel, Midway, 30 feet

North Beach, Midway, 10 feet

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 BALLIEU'S or SPOTFIN SCORPIONFISH

Endemic to Hawaii.  Common in shallow water and tidepools, especially active at night.  Up to 5 inches.

Scorpaenopsis cacopsis    endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

 

Puako, Hawaii, 15 feet

Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 35 feet

 

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 30 feet

Juvenile, Chromis, Midway Atoll, 35 feet

 

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet

 TITAN SCORPIONFISH         NOHU

Endemic to Hawaii.  Now quite rare at scuba depths among large rocks and ledges due to spearfishing .  Common only in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  Head is longer than the Devil Scorpionfish and color is mostly orange.  Up to 20 inches.

Scorpaenopsis diabolus

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 70 feet

 

Welles Harbor, Midway, 30 feet

Pitt Stop, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

 

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 60 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 60 feet

 

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 60 feet

Keaau, Oahu, 50 feet

 

Kewalo, Oahu, 35 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, 35 feet

 DEVIL SCORPIONFISH        NOHU OMAKAHA         Oni-kasago

Common on reefs to at least 200 feet.  Robust body with humpbacked appearance.  Sandy color mottled with brown and green, often overgrown by filamentous or coralline algae.  Attains 12 inches.  Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific.

Sebastapistes coniorta     endemic.gif (1686 bytes)

Nanakuli, Oahu, 25 feet

 

Waimanalo, Oahu, 15 feet

Night, Blowhole, Oahu, 45 feet

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet

 SPECKLED SCORPIONFISH

Endemic to Hawaii.  Common within Cauliflower and Antler Corals; feeds in the open at night.  Greenish-yellow with small brown dots and irregular patches by day.  Red and white with a few dark spots by night.  Up to 3.5 inches.

Taenianotus triacanthus

Kahe Point, Oahu, 30 feet

 

Blowhole, Oahu, 30 feet

Makapu'u, Oahu, 30 feet

 

Makapu'u, Oahu, 30 feet

Angel Ledge, Midway Atoll, 80 feet

 

Kewalo, Oahu, Hawaii, 50 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, Hawaii, 50 feet

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 50 feet

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Firehouse, Oahu, 35 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 35 feet

 

Firehouse, Oahu, 35 feet

Kaloko, Oahu, 6 feet

 

Kaloko, Oahu, 6 feet

YO-257 Wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 100 feet

Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet

     LEAF SCORPIONFISH

Cryptic but not uncommon on reefs to at least 100 feet.  Highly compressed body with stout pectoral fins used for walking and support.  Rocks itself side-to-side, imitating a leaf or seaweed in the surge.  Pale yellow is most common, while bright green is rare.  Sheds its skin; able to change color somewhat.  Attains 4 inches.  Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific.


INDO-PACIFIC

Pterois volitans

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 30 feet

 

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 10 feet

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 10 feet

LIONFISH

Common on shallow reefs with lots of small fishes.  Feeds at dawn & dusk.  To nearly 2 feet long.

Dendrochirus zebra

Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, 30 feet

Faga'alu, Tutuila, American Samoa, 6 feet

ZEBRA LIONFISH

Occasional at any depth throughout the Indo-Pacific to Samoa.  Absent from Hawaii.  About 8 inches.

Synanceia verrucosa

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 4 feet

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 4 feet

STONEFISH

Found in caverns, rubble, or sand.  Eyes are not strongly elevated as in S. horrida.  Color matches its surroundings.  Delivers a potentially fatal sting.  Attains 15 inches.  Red Sea & the Indo-Pacific except Hawaii.

Dendrochirus brachypterus

Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia

SHORTFIN LIONFISH

Uncommon throughout the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to Samoa.  Actively feeds upon crustaceans at night.  Attains 7 inches.

 

 

 


JAPAN

 

 

 

 

 

 


CALIFORNIA and TROPICAL EASTERN PACIFIC

Scorpaena guttata

Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 40 feet

SPOTTED SCORPIONFISH

Common on rocky reefs of California and Baja.  Up to 12 inches and erroneously called 'sculpin' by fishers.

Scorpaenodes xyris

Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 20 feet

RAINBOW SCORPIONFISH

Uncommon in rocky area with dark holes from Catalina island south to Mexico.  About 5 inches.

Scorpaenodes plumieri mystes

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 30 feet

STONE SCORPIONFISH

Common on rocky reefs from Baja California and south to Peru.  About 10 inches.  Color variable.

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