| Family: |
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes or rockfishes), subfamily: Scorpaeninae |
| Max. size: |
25 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 5 - 30 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: only in the Coral Sea and adjacent waters; collected from Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and northeastern Australia. Reports from Japan and Penghu Archipelago (Ref. 55073) are in error. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 5-5. Description: Characterized by having complex maze-like color pattern with variable amounts of black, yellow and green; firm dorsal spines with sharp tips; strongly oblique and upturned mouth; concave snout; head, body and fins with numerous slender branched tentacles and cirri; depth of body 2.1-2.4 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
A rare species that inhabits coral slopes (Ref. 9710), or soft bottom habitat (Ref. 48635). Benthic (Ref. 75154). Solitary and often with ctenoids; pectoral and pelvic fins used for walking on bottom (Ref 90102). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
| Country info: |
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