Species: Pontinus helena, Helena Scorpionfish
no pit behind eyes
no distinctive marks
Pontinus helena Eschmeyer, 1965
Helena Scorpionfish
Head very bony, with numerous spines, without pit behind eye; snout short (~=eye); ridge under eye with 3-4 spines; uppermost preopercular spine longest, 2nd spine reduced or absent; bone above mouth before eye with 2 down-pointing spines; teeth on roof of mouth at sides but not at center; slit present behind last gill arch; dorsal XII, 9.5-10.5 (spiny part of fin high, but no spine notably elongated); anal III+5; pectoral with longest rays in center, 19-20 rays, all unbranched; scales rough, present on cheek, behind eye and on chest; lateral line complete, with tubes on scales, 23-24 tubed scales on body + 2 on tail fin.
Reddish above, yellowish below; a few small dark specks on head and body.
Reaches 25 cm.
Rocky and shell bottoms.
Depth range: 75-440 m.
Venezuela to Suriname.
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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- Rocks
- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef and soft bottom
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bathydemersal
- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- IUCN Red List
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- Data deficient
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 25
- Depth Range Min
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- 75
- Depth Range Max
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- 440
