Scientific Name
Pontinus macrocephalus

Common Name
Large-headed scorpionfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Pectoral rays unbranched in adults; with about 45-60 vertical scale rows; lachrymal bone with 2 spines over maxillary, first points out and back, second points mostly back; suborbital ridge with 3 or 4 spines; second preopercular spine usually absent in large specimens; color in life mostly red (Ref. 10482).

Classification

Classified By

Sauvage, 1882

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Scorpionfishes or rockfishes (Scorpaenidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: southern Japan to Micronesia and the Hawaiian Islands. Reported from Malaysia (Ref. 5756) and from Bali Strait to Timor Sea in Indonesia (Ref. 5978).

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

174 m

Depth To - meters

278 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 174 - 278 m (Ref. 10482)

Trophic Level

3.6 s.e. 0.50 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

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

36.5 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

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

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)