Genus: Scorpaenodes, Scorpionfish, Scorpionfishes

SCORPAENODES

SCORPIONFISHES

Head very bony, with numerous spines; no pit on top of head behind eyes; longitudinal ridge under eye with 1-4 spines, sometimes another row of spines below those; teeth on center of roof of mouth but not on sides; small slit present or absent behind last gill arch; dorsal fin XIII, 8-10; anal III, 4-5; last dorsal and anal rays branched; pectoral 15-20 rays, lower rays branched, longest rays in center; scales rough, head usually scaly; small spiny rays at top and bottom of base of tail fin.

A circumtropical genus containing 26 species; with 2 W Atlantic species & 1 endémic in the Greater Caribbean.