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Species: Scorpaena agassizii, Longfin Scorpionfish

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eye large (150-220% snout)
small pit behind eye
no large spot between D spines IV-VII
pectoral reaches past end A base, no brown spots on inside base
scales smooth

Scorpaena agassizii Goode & Bean, 1896

Longfin Scorpionfish

Head very bony, with numerous spines; adults with a very small depression on top of head behind eyes; eye large (150-220% of snout length); 1st (top most) preopercular spine the largest, 2nd is small; bone over front of mouth with 2 spines pointing down and forwards; ridge under eye with 3 spines; roof of mouth with teeth on sides but not at center; no slit behind last gill arch; dorsal fin XII, 8.5-10.5; anal fin III, 5; pectoral fin 19 (18-20), with some upper rays branched in adult, fin long, reaching past anal fin base; scales relatively large, smooth; lateral line complete.

Bright red, darker to brownish spots on front lateral line scales, on base of dorsal fin spines and on and above pectoral fin; no large spot between dorsal spines IV-VII; no brown spots inside pectoral base.

Reaches 20 cm.

On soft bottoms.

Depth range: 46-300 m.

N Carolina to Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Mud
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 20
Depth Range Min
  • 46
Depth Range Max
  • 300