Scientific Name
Scorpaenodes caribbaeus

Common Name
Reef scorpionfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Has conspicuous dark spot on rear dorsal fin spines. Without occipital pit (Ref. 26938). Palatine teeth absent; no preorbital spines; suborbital ridge with 4 or 5 spinous points (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By

Meek & Hildebrand, 1928

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Scorpionfishes or rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Bahamas to Panama and northern South America. Antilles, western and southern Caribbean (Ref. 26938).

Range

30°N -

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

18 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 18 m (Ref. 26938)

Trophic Level

3.6 s.e. 0.58 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

12.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated