Barbfish, Scorpaena brasiliensis

Barbfish, Scorpaena brasiliensis. Aquarium fish photographed in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Naples, Florida, January 2019.

The Barbfish, Scorpaena brasiliensis, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, and is known in Mexico as escopión pardo. They obtained their common name from their ability to inject toxic venom from the spines in their fins. Globally, there are fifty-nine species in the genus Scorpaena, of which sixteen are found in Mexican waters, ten in the Atlantic and six in the Pacific Ocean.

The Barbfish has a spine-laden compressed rectangular-shaped body that tapers posteriorly. They vary greatly in color from brown to greenish-brown to red to yellow and white. They have small dark round spots on the lower head and body and at the base of the pectoral fins. They have 3 or 4 brown blotches along side under the lateral line and the caudal fin has two subtle bars, one across the center and the other at the margin. Juveniles are mottled in brown over a tan or pale background. Their head is bony and covered with numerous spines with a very short snout with large round eyes and the mouth is equipped with small palatine and vomer teeth that are arranged in narrow bands. They have a deep pit between the eyes and well-developed branches cirrus over the eyes. They have spines present: behind the front nostril, a pair before the pit between the eyes, five on the preoperculum, the first being the largest, and 3 blunt spines under the eyes. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 5 rays; their caudal fin is rounded; their dorsal fin has 12 spines and 9 rays; and, their pectoral fin has 16 to 20 rays. They are covered with large smooth scales. They have a complete lateral line.

The Barbfish is found in bays, harbors and on the continental shelf over both hard and soft bottoms and in coral reef habitats at depths up to 165 m (541 feet). They reach a maximum of 35 cm (14 inches) in length. They are classic lie-in-wait ambush predators that consume small crabs, small fish, octopus and shrimp. They contain a toxic venom in their anal, dorsal and pelvic fin spines that is dangerous to humans. They consume crabs, fish and shrimps. In turn they are preyed upon by larger marine fish. They maintain a solitary life style except during courtship and spawning. Reproduction is oviparous. The Barbfish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.

The Barbfish  is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean.

The Barbfish is very similar in appearance and can be confused with ten other Scorpionfish that are found in Mexican waters of the Atlantic, however, they are the only Scorpionfish that have the 3 or 4 brown blotches on the sides below the lateral line.

From a conservation perspective the Barbfish is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are generally too small and difficult to handle, thus a “catch and release”. They are sold commercially in some local markets for human consumption. They are also utilized by the aquarium trade at a modest level. Caution: As with all Scorpionfish, the Barbfish should be treated as “hazardous” and released as soon as possible, being careful not to allow their poisonous spines to penetrate the skin.