Scorpaena sumptuosa

Scorpaena sumptuosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Scorpaeniformes Family: Scorpaenidae Subfamily: Scorpaeninae Genus: Scorpaena Species: Scorpaena sumptuosa Castelnau 1875[1]

Scorpaena sumptuosa is a species of marine fish of the family Scorpaenidae. It is coloured bright red to pale brown, around 400 millimetres in length, and has tassel-like appendages that aid its camouflage. This species lies in ambush, motionless and disguised amongst corals, where it awaits prey to suck into its large and quick mouth. A row of poisonous spines are found along the dorsal region, it is able to make these erect when threatened.[2]

It is also known as the Western red scorpionfish or scorpioncod. The species is endemic to the coast of Southwest Australia, in a range extending from Esperance to Point Quobba. Scorpaena sumptuosa is not as toxic to humans as the stonefish of the same region, but able to cause a painful sting.

References

1. ^ Researches on the fishes of Australia. Philadelphia Centennial Expedition of 1876. Intercolonial Exhibition Essays, 1875-6. Researches on the fishes of Australia. No. 2: 1-52.
2. ^ Morrison, Sue; Storrie, Ann (1999). Wonders of Western Waters. Como, Western Australia: Department of Conservation and Land Management. pp. 113. ISBN 0 7309 6894 4. 

• Froese, Rainer. "Scorpaena sumptuosa Western red scorpionfish". FishBase. http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=52376. Retrieved on 2008-12-28.