Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Idiastion kyphos, Sharpcheek Scorpionfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

humpback
head spines strong, multi-pointed
pit behind eyes
D XII, 9.5, no elongate spines
pectoral: center point, + branched rays
LL complete
scales rough
crest under eye: 5-8 spines
preopercle: top spine isolated, longest

Idiastion kyphos Eschmeyer, 1965

Sharpcheek Scorpionfish

Body behind head deep, humpbacked; head very bony, with strongly developed spines, often with multiple points; without pit behind eyes; eyes large; longitudinal ridge under rear of eye with 5-8 spines; uppermost of 4 preopercular spine separated from others and longest; teeth small, simple, on sides and front of roof of mouth; small slit behind last gill arch; small, simple teeth on jaws, front & sides of roof of mouth, in throat; dorsal fin XII, 9.5; anal fin III, 5; pectoral with longest rays in center, 17-19 rays, ray 1 & bottom 7-9 rays unbranched, lower, unbranched rays fleshy, with free tips; scales mostly rough; between eyes with or without scales; lateral line complete, with tubes on scales; small swim bladder.

Bright red head, body and fins; live fish sometimes with a large white blotch on nape; small fish with bars (1 down and back from eye, 1 up from eye to front of dorsal fin, a H shaped bar on body under middle of dorsal fin).

Reaches 18.6 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms

Depth range: 374-2360 m.

Trans-Atlantic; North Carolina to southern Brazil.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Mud
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef and soft bottom
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Bathydemersal
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • Transatlantic (East+West Atlantic)
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)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 18.6
Depth Range Min
  • 374
Depth Range Max
  • 2360