Black Scorpionfish
Scorpaena porcus
Weedy scorpionfish
Rhinopias frondosa
About
The weedy scorpionfish is a master of disguise, dressed in ragged, weed-like flaps that let it vanish against reef and rubble. It grows to a modest 23 cm, staying still for hours while it waits for prey to pass.
Also known as: popeyed scorpionfish, rhinopias frondosa, weed fish
- Length
- 23 cm
- Depth
- up to 297 m
How to tell it apart
Its weedy flaps can look like several other camouflaged scorpionfish and change with habitat, so they are not a reliable guide. Instead, look for the ring-shaped, dark-edged spots on its body, a pattern that holds steady no matter how covered in tassels it is.
Appearance
Its body is flattened side to side and covered in fleshy, weed-like tassels, with more tentacles around the head, jaw, and eyes. The mouth is upturned and the snout curves inward. Colour varies widely, but most individuals show rings of small, dark-edged spots, each with a centre that matches the background colour rather than standing out.
Habitat
It lives across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from Japan to Australia and from South Africa to the Caroline Islands. It is found from 10 down to 297 m, on soft bottoms in current-swept channels or on rocky, algae-covered reefs, where it blends into its surroundings.
Is it dangerous?
venomous
Did you know?
This scorpionfish changes its own disguise to match its home: it grows thick, weedy tassels on algae-covered reefs but stays almost smooth when living deeper among sponges.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
