Species: Scorpaena albifimbria, Coral Scorpionfish

Scorpaena albifimbria Evermann & Marsh, 1900

Coral Scorpionfish

Head very bony, with numerous spines; spine present behind front nostril; adults with a shallow pit on top of head behind eyes, a pair of spines before that pit; eye moderate; a pair of long cirri at front and over center of eyes; 1st (topmost) 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, 9.5 (8.5-9.5); anal III,5; pectoral 19-20, with some upper rays branched in adult, fin reaching first anal spine; scales relatively large, smooth; lateral line complete; skin flaps on body along lateral line and below it.

Bright red to pink on a pale background; a large dark saddle above pectoral fin that extends onto spiny dorsal; a brown bar from soft dorsal down to base of anal fin; pectoral whitish to red, sometimes a black outer margin; tail whitish with a red central bar and a red rear edge.

Reaches 9 cm.

Sand and rubble bottoms around reefs.

Depth range: 0-140 m, usually < 10 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.