Smallscale Scorpionfish

Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, commonly known as the tasseled scorpionfish or small-scaled scorpionfish, is a venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, also known as the scorpionfishes. This species has a wide distribution in the 🇮🇳 Indian and 🌊 Pacific Oceans and is considered the largest in its genus.

First described formally as Scorpaena oxycephalus in 1849 by Pieter Bleeker, a Dutch physician, herpetologist, and ichthyologist, the type locality of this species is Jakarta on Java. The specific name is a combination of "oxy," meaning sharp, and "cephalus," referring to the long snout of this fish.

Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus possesses an elongated body that becomes compressed towards the rear, with a narrow interorbital space. The upper posttemporal and upper opercular spines are simple, and the occipital pit is either absent or very shallow. This fish has a particularly long snout, and adults are distinguished by numerous tentacles forming a beard around the mouth. The dorsal fin consists of 12 spines and 9 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays. In adults, the supraocular and postocular spines merge widely, showing only the tip of the supraocular spine and forming a ridge over the rear half of the eye. The published maximum recorded total length for this species is 36 cm (14 inches), making it the largest in the Scorpaenopsis genus. Its coloration is characterized by mottled reddish-brown markings with white patches and often a darker triangular area underneath the eye that extends back over the cheek.

Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the 🌊 Red Sea south to Sodwana Bay in 🇿🇦 South Africa and eastwards through the 🌊 Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to 🇵🇬 New Guinea. It is also present further south to 🇦🇺 Australia and northwards to 🇹🇼 Taiwan, and possibly the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan) of southern 🇯🇵 Japan. In 🇦🇺 Australian waters, this species is known to occur on the Northwest Shelf off Western Australia, Cartier Island in the Timor Sea, and the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, as well as at Christmas Island. It has also been reported in False Bay, 🇿🇦 South Africa. These fish inhabit reef slopes at depths ranging from 1 to 35 meters.

As a solitary species, Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus is a nocturnal ambush predator that feeds on fishes and crustaceans. Swimmers in shallow waters may inadvertently step on them, causing painful injuries from their venomous spines. This species has vibrant orange colors and unique markings that aid in its camouflage among rocky reefs.