Red scorpionfish
📖 Overview
Solitary and sedentary over rocky, sandy or muddy bottoms. Feeds on fishes, crustaceans and mollusks.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Dark spot often on spinous dorsal .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Red scorpionfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 20 - 500 m , usually ? - 150 m . Subtropical; 60°N - 35°S, 26°W - 36°E South African species thought to be the same as population in the northeast Atlantic (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
fishes, crustaceans and mollusks (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Red scorpionfish is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18.9 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 655 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Red scorpionfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 682 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Red scorpionfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.