Species: Scorpaena elachys, Dwarf scorpionfish
shallow pit behind eyes
inside gill chamber black
Scorpaena elachys Eschmeyer, 1965
Dwarf scorpionfish
Body deep (depth 38-41% of SL); head very bony, with numerous spines; adults with a shallow pit on top of head behind eyes; snout very short (<eye); eye moderate; 1st (top most) preopercular spine the largest, short, with a small accessory spine; bone over front of mouth with 2 spines pointing down and another at rear on its side; bone ridge under eye smooth, except for a spine at the rear end; 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, 2nd spine </= 3rd; pectoral 16-17, with some upper rays branched in adult, fin reaching first anal spine; lateral line complete.
Red; a network of dark and pale lines under dorsal fin; dusky under and between eyes; inside gill chamber black, visible from outside; pectoral with yellow on inner face, dusky on side; front ½ of anal fin red, middle speckled, dark red behind.
Reaches 6.4 cm.
Found on rocky and shell bottoms.
Depth range: 37-100 m.
The Gulf of Mexico to Venezuela.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef and soft bottom
- Rocks
- Sand & gravel
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Bony fishes
- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Data
- Global Endemism
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- All species.
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Insular primarily
- Island (s)
- GC endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- All species..
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 6.4
- Depth Range Min
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- 37
- Depth Range Max
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- 100
