Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri
Spotted Scorpionfish,Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught from coastal waters off Boca Raton, Florida, November 2023. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.
Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught from coastal waters off Broward County, Florida, August 2021. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Sebastian, Florida.
Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught off the Channel 5 Bridge, Marathon, Florida, March 2017. Length: 23 cm (9.0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Kenneth Tse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught from coastal waters off Dania Beach, Florida, January 2015. Length: 26 cm (10 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).
Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught from coastal waters off Big Pine Key, Florida, April 2019. Length: 27 cm (11 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri. Fish caught from coastal waters off Islamorada, Florida, April 2019. Length: 28 cm (11 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
The Spotted Scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, known in Mexico as escorpión negro. 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 Spotted Scorpionfish have spine-laden, compressed, elongated oval-shaped bodies that taper at both ends with a body depth that is 36% to 40% of standard length. They vary significantly in color but are typically a drab mottled mixture of brown, black, gray, green and red. The inside base of the pectoral fins is black with large white spots or blotches that can be in rows. The caudal fin is whitish with three dark bars and a pale base. Juveniles have a pronounced dark bar under the second dorsal fin. Their head is covered with strong spines and is as deep as it is broad with a deep pit behind the eyes and a smaller pit below and behind the eyes. They have three or four down-pointing spines above the front of the mouth and three spines under the eyes. They have large mouths equipped with teeth on the sides. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 5 or 6 rays; their dorsal fin has 12 spines and 9 or 10 rays; and, their pectoral fins have 18 to 21 rays. Their bodies are covered with numerous skin flaps and large smooth scales. Their lateral line is complete.
Spotted Scorpionfish are found from the intertidal zone to depths up to 80 m (265 feet) within coral and rocky reefs and in open rubble areas. They reach a maximum of 45 cm (18 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.76 kg (3 lbs 14 oz), with the fish caught in coastal waters off Alabama in July 2015. They are a classic lie-in-wait ambush predator, consuming fish larvae, small fish and small invertebrates. The Spotted Scorpionfish 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 Spotted Scorpionfish 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 Spotted Scorpionfish is very similar to the Stone Scorpionfish, Scorpaena mystes, from the Pacific. They are very similar to the other nine Scorpionfish that are found in Mexican waters of the Atlantic but they are the only ones that have pectoral fins with a black base and white spots.
From a conservation perspective the Spotted Scorpionfish is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are caught frequently as a by-catch via hook-and-line, cast-nets, gill nets and traps. They are considered to be a quality food fish and are marketed fresh. They are also utilized by the aquarium trade. They are known to be a component of the diet of newly introduced highly invasive Red Lionfish, Pterois volitanse. Caution: As with all Scorpionfish, the Spotted Scorpionfish should be treated as “hazardous” and released as soon as possible, being careful not to allow their poisonous spines to penetrate the skin. They are considered to be one of the most venomous fish in the Atlantic Ocean. Scorpionfish poison is produced by glandular tissue in longitudinal grooves on each side of their spine. Wounds from these spines vary from bee-sting intensity to unbelievable agony with significant swelling. Medical reports indicate that these wounds are not life-threatening and treatment involves soaking the affected area for 30 to 90 minutes in water between 43.3oC (110oF) and 44.4oC (112oF). The Scorpionfish toxins are peptides that are broken down by human enzymes into non-toxic fragments; this process is significantly enhanced by heat. Although wounds from Scorpionfish typically do not cause complications, these fish should be treated as “extremely hazardous” and released as soon as possible, being careful not to allow their poisonous spines to penetrate the skin. Medical treatment should be sought for any wounds that cause significant pain or other symptoms. A fairly recent publication by F.V. Campos, et al., Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins, 22:35 (2016) has identified one of the major toxin in Scorpaena plumieri as a 130 kDa two subunit glycoprotein named cytolytictoxin (SP-Ctx).