Black Scorpionfish

Scorpaena porcus

Saltwater
Scorpionfish
Least concern

About

The black scorpionfish is a venomous ambush hunter that lies still among rocks and seaweed, blending in until prey swims too close. It reaches a maximum length of 40.5 cm, though most adults are closer to 15 cm.

Also known as: brown rockfish

Length: 15 cm · max 40.5 cm
Weight: max 870 g
Depth: up to 800 m

How to tell it apart

It can be confused with other Mediterranean scorpionfish of similar size and colour. The three vertical brown stripes on the tail fin are the mark to check.

Appearance

The head is broad with a short snout and an upward-angled mouth. A short tentacle sits above each eye, with more small tentacles, spines, and skin flaps scattered across the head. The body is brownish, with a dark spot between two of the dorsal spines and mottled brown fins. The tail fin carries three vertical brown stripes.

Habitat

Lives on the seabed among rocks and seaweed, from shallow water down to about 800 m. It is common on rocky reefs in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and along the eastern Atlantic coast.

Behaviour

This is a solitary, bottom-dwelling fish that does not defend a territory. It rests motionless among rocks and weed, relying on camouflage rather than movement to avoid notice. Its dorsal, anal, and pelvic fin spines, along with a spine on the gill cover, carry venom used for defence.

Diet

An ambush predator, it waits without moving for prey to pass, then lunges forward and sucks it in with its large mouth. It feeds on small fish such as blennies and gobies, along with crustaceans and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

Did you know?

Carl Linnaeus named this fish Scorpaena porcus in 1758 and never explained the choice: porcus means "pig" in Latin. One old idea traces it to a belief that the fish grubbed through mud like a pig, a mix-up that may have started with a mistranslated ancient Greek description of it feeding on algae.