Fish Poisson

Red scorpionfish

Scorpaena scrofa

Red scorpionfish
Out of season
—
Fishing zones
Wild
Origin
30 cm
Minimum size

Description

Massive and robust, generally brick-red to orange in color, dotted with dark spots. It has numerous skin flaps on its head and sides, which help it camouflage itself. Its head is very broad and covered with numerous spines. A major distinguishing feature is the presence of skin flaps on the lower jaw (absent in other closely related species). The rays of the dorsal fin are equipped with venom glands. The sting is very painful but rarely fatal to humans. It can reach a maximum size of 50 cm (with some records at 66 cm), but the typical size is around 30 cm. It can weigh up to 3 kg. It is a voracious predator that feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. It sucks in its prey by suddenly opening its mouth.
Habitat
A marine, benthic (bottom-dwelling), and sedentary species. It is generally found between 20 and 200 meters, but can descend to depths of up to 500 meters. It prefers rocky bottoms, coral-rich areas, or gravel and sandy bottoms near rocks. It spends most of its time motionless on the seafloor, using its camouflage (mimicry) to hunt from ambush.
Distribution
Its range covers mainly the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. From the Bay of Biscay to Senegal, including the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. It is found throughout the Mediterranean basin (very common), but is absent or extremely rare in the Black Sea.

Trophic level

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