Scientific Name
Pterois miles

Common Name
Devil firefish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7. Reddish to tan or grey in color, with numerous thin dark bars on body and head; tentacle above eye may be faintly banded (Ref. 4313). Adults have a band of small spines along the cheek and small spots in the median fins (Ref. 48635).

Classification

Classified By

Bennett, 1828

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Scorpionfishes or rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Indian Ocean

Distribution

Indian Ocean: Red Sea south to Port Alfred, South Africa and east to Sumatra, Indonesia (Ref. 33390). Also known in eastern Mediterranean (Ref. 37421).

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

60 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 60 m (Ref. 30573)

Trophic Level

3.73 s.e. 0.63 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

35.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5010 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (66 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 30573)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated