Scorpaenidae

{{Short description|Family of fishes}} {{Distinguish|Scorpionidae}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Scorpionfish | fossil_range = {{fossil range|Middle Eocene|present}} | image = Scorpionfish Nick Hobgood.jpg | image_caption = ''Scorpaenopsis oxycephala'' | taxon = Scorpaenidae | authority = A. Risso, 1826 | subdivision = See text | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | type_species = ''Scorpaena porcus'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 }} [[File:Grosserdrachenkopf-02.jpg|thumb|right|''Scorpaena scrofa'']]

The '''Scorpaenidae''' (also known as '''scorpionfish''') are a family of mostly marine fishes that includes many of the world's most venomous species.<ref name=":132">{{Cite web |last1=Fricke |first1=R. |last2=Eschmeyer |first2=W. N. |last3=Van der Laan |first3=R. |date=2025 |title=ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION |url=https://www.calacademy.org/eschmeyers-catalog-of-fishes-classification |website=California Academy of Sciences |language=en}}</ref> As their name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venomous mucus. They are widespread in tropical and temperate seas, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. They should not be confused with the cabezones, of the genus ''Scorpaenichthys'', which belong to a separate, though related, family, Cottidae.

==Taxonomy== Scorpaenidae was described as a family in 1826 by the French naturalist Antoine Risso.<ref name = VDLEF>{{cite journal | author1 = Richard van der Laan | author2 = William N. Eschmeyer | author3 = Ronald Fricke | name-list-style = amp | year = 2014 | title = Family-group names of Recent fishes | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268078514 | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 3882 | issue = 2 | pages = 001–230 | doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 | pmid = 25543675 | doi-access = free }}</ref> The family was included in the suborder Scorpaenoidei of the order Scorpaeniformes in the fifth edition of ''Fishes of the World.''<ref name = Nelson5>{{cite book |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5th |author1=J. S. Nelson |author2=T. C. Grande |author3=M. V. H. Wilson |year=2016 |pages= 468–475 |publisher=Wiley |isbn= 978-1-118-34233-6 |url=https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ }}</ref> However, more recent authorities place it in the suborder Scorpaenoidei of the order Perciformes. Following a major revision in 2018, several groups previously treated as subfamilies of Scorpaenidae, such as Synanceiidae and Plectrogeniidae, are now treated as their own families, while several tribes placed within Scorpaenidae, such as Pteroinae, are now treated as their own subfamilies.<ref name=":132" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=W. Leo |last2=Everman |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Richardson |first3=Clara |date=2018 |title=Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Sea Robins, and Stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the Evolution of the Lachrymal Saber |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.1643/CG-17-669 |journal=Copeia |language=en |volume=106 |issue=1 |pages=94–119 |doi=10.1643/CG-17-669 |issn=0045-8511}}</ref>

==Subfamilies and genera== [[File:Clearfin lionfish (Pterois radiata).JPG|thumb|''Pterois radiata'']] [[File:China rockfish in Neah Bay August 2009 JLL.jpg|thumb|''Sebastes nebulosus'']] [[File:Sebastolobus alascanus.jpeg|thumb|''Sebastolobus alascanus'']] The Scorpaenidae are divided into these subfamilies and genera, containing a total of 39 genera with no fewer than 388 species:<ref>{{Cite web |title=CAS - Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes - Genera/Species by Family/Subfamily |url=https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp |access-date=2025-08-04 |website=researcharchive.calacademy.org}}</ref><ref name="CofF22">{{Cof family|family=Scorpaenidae|access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

* Subfamily Scorpaeninae Risso, 1826 (scorpionfishes and lionfishes) ** Genus ''Hipposcorpaena'' Fowler, 1938 ** Genus ''Hoplosebastes'' Schmidt, 1929 ** Genus ''Idiastion'' Eschmeyer, 1965 ** Genus ''Iracundus'' Jordan & Evermann, 1903 ** Genus ''Neomerinthe'' Fowler, 1935 ** Genus ''Neoscorpaena'' Mandrytsa, 2001 ** Genus ''Parascorpaena'' Bleeker, 1876 ** Genus ''Phenacoscorpius'' Fowler, 1938 ** Genus ''Pogonoscorpius'' Regan, 1908 ** Genus ''Pontinus'' Poey 1860 ** Genus ''Pteroidichthys'' Bleeker, 1856 ** Genus ''Rhinopias'' Gill, 1905 ** Genus ''Scorpaena'' Linnaeus, 1758 ** Genus ''Scorpaenodes'' Bleeker, 1857 ** Genus ''Scorpaenopsis'' Heckel 1837 ** Genus ''Sebastapistes'' Gill, 1877 ** Genus ''Taenianotus'' Lacépède, 1802 ** Genus ''Thysanichthys'' Jordan & Starks, 1904 ** Genus ''Ursinoscorpaenopsis'' Nakabo & Yamada, 1996 * Subfamily Caracanthinae Gill, 1885 (orbicular velvetfishes or coral crouchers) ** Genus ''Caracanthus'' Krøyer, 1845 * Subfamily Pteroinae Kaup, 1873 (turkeyfishes and lionfishes) ** Genus ''Brachypterois'' Fowler, 1938 ** Genus ''Dendrochirus'' Swainson, 1839 ** Genus ''Ebosia'' Jordan & Starks, 1904 ** Genus ''Nemapterois'' Fowler 1938 ** Genus ''Neochirus'' Chou, Liu & Liao, 2023 ** Genus ''Parapterois'' Bleeker, 1876 ** Genus ''Pterois'' Oken, 1817 ** Genus ''Pteropterus'' Swainson, 1839 * Subfamily Setarchinae Matsubara, 1943 (deep-sea bristly scorpionfishes) ** Genus ''Ectreposebastes'' Garman, 1899 ** Genus ''Lioscorpius'' Günther, 1880: ** Genus ''Lythrichthys'' Jordan & Starks, 1904 ** Genus ''Setarches'' Johnson, 1862 * Subfamily Sebastolobinae Matsubara, 1943 (thornyheads) ** Genus ''Adelosebastes'' Eschmeyer, T. Abe & Nakano, 1979 ** Genus ''Sebastolobus'' Gill, 1881 ** Genus ''Trachyscorpia'' Ginsburg, 1953 * Subfamily Sebastinae Kaup, 1873 (rockfishes) ** Genus ''Helicolenus'' Goode & Bean, 1896 ** Genus ''Hozukius'' Matsubara, 1934 ** Genus ''Sebastes'' Cuvier, 1829 ** Genus ''Sebastiscus'' Jordan & Starks, 1904 Fossil otoliths of scorpaenids are known as early as the mid-Eocene,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schwarzhans |first=Werner |date=2007-07-27 |title=The otoliths from the middle Eocene of Osteroden near Bramsche, north-western Germany |url=https://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpa/detail/244/59123/The_otoliths_from_the_middle_Eocene_of_Osteroden_near_Bramsche_north_western_Germany |journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen |volume=244 |issue=3 |language=en |pages=299–369 |doi=10.1127/0077-7749/2007/0244-0299|bibcode=2007NJGPA.244..299S |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=SCHWARZHANS |first1=WERNER W. |last2=STRINGER |first2=GARY L. |last3=TAKEUCHI |first3=GARY T. |date=2024-07-16 |title=The Middle Eocene Bony Fish Fauna of California, USA, Reconstructed by Means of Otoliths |url=https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/22783 |journal=Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia |language=en |volume=130 |issue=2 |article-number=22783 |doi=10.54103/2039-4942/22783 |bibcode=2024RIPS..13022783S |issn=2039-4942 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250629003712/https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/22783 |archive-date=2025-06-29 |doi-access=free |access-date=2025-08-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> although body fossils only appear during the Oligocene or Miocene.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Micklich |first1=N. |last2=Parin |first2=N. |date=1995 |title=The fishfauna of Frauenweiler (Middle Oligocene, Rupelian; Germany): First results of a review |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309050347 |journal=Publ. Espec. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr. |volume=21 |pages=129–148}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Schwarzhans |first1=Werner |last2=Carnevale |first2=Giorgio |last3=Japundžić |first3=Sanja |last4=Bradić-Milinović |first4=Katarina |date=2017 |title=Otoliths in situ from Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) fishes of the Paratethys. Part IV: Scorpaenidae, Labridae, and Gobiesocidae |journal=Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=136 |issue=1 |pages=93–108 |doi=10.1007/s13358-017-0124-y |bibcode=2017SwJP..136...93S |issn=1664-2376|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Characteristics== The Scorpaenidae have a compressed body with the head typically having ridges and spines. One or two spines are on the operculum, with two normally being divergent, and three to five on the preoperculum, normally five. The suborbital stay is normally securely attached to the preoperculum, although in some species it may not be attached. If scales are present, they are typically ctenoid. They normally have a single dorsal fin, which is frequently incised. The dorsal fin contains between 11 and 17 spines and 8 and 17 soft rays, while the anal fin usually has between one and three spines, normally three, and three to nine soft rays, typically five, A single spine is in the pelvic fin with between two and five soft rays, again typically five, while the large pectoral fin contains 11–25 soft rays and sometimes has a few of the lower rays free of its membrane. The gill membranes are not attached to the isthmus. Some species have no swim bladder. Venom glands are in the spines of the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins in some species. Most species use internal fertilisation, and some species are ovoviviparous while others lay their eggs in a gelatinous mass, with ''Scorpaena guttata'' being reported to create a gelatinous "egg balloon" as large as {{cvt|20|cm|abbr=on}} across.<ref name = Nelson5/> The largest species is the shortraker rockfish (''Sebastes borealis''), which attains a maximum total length of {{cvt|108|cm|abbr=on}}, while many species have maximum total lengths of {{cvt|5|cm|abbr=on}}.<ref name = FishBase>{{FishBase family | family = Scorpaenidae | month = June |year =2021}}</ref><ref name = FishBase2>{{FishBase family | family = Sebastidae | month= June | year = 2021}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== Scorpaenidae species are mainly found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but some species are also found in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name = Nelson5/> Some species, such as the lionfishes in the genus ''Pterois'', are invasive non-native species in areas such as the Caribbean<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hamner |first1=R. M. |last2=Freshwater |first2=D. W. |last3=Whitfield |first3=P. E. |year=2007 |title=Mitochondrial cytochrome b analysis reveals two invasive lionfish species with strong founder effects in the western Atlantic |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |volume=71 |pages=214–222 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01575.x|bibcode=2007JFBio..71S.214H }}</ref> and the eastern Mediterranean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.livescience.com/55206-lionfish-invade-mediterranean-sea.html |title=Aliens Attack! Invasive Lionfish Arrive in Mediterranean |last=Weisberger |first=Mindy |date=28 June 2016 |website=livescience.com |language=en |access-date=13 February 2020}}</ref> They are found in marine and brackish-water habitats.<ref name = FishBase/> They typically inhabit reefs, but can also be found in estuaries, bays and lagoons.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite magazine|title=Scorpionfish: Danger in Disguise|first=David|last=Doubilet|magazine=National Geographic|pages=634–643|volume=172|issue=5|date=November 1987|issn=0027-9358|oclc=643483454}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120116233140/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Scorpaenidae.html#Scorpaenidae Scorpaenidae entry] on the Animal Diversity Web. * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiLUK6g8H3I Scorpionfish Rescue - Koh Phangan, Thailand]

Category:Scorpaenidae Category:Venomous fish Category:Perciformes families Category:Marine fish families Category:Taxa named by Antoine Risso