Raggy Scorpionfish

Description

Adults are best recognized by the tiny light-blue ocelli scattered over the body, and dark triangle below the eye. Small juveniles have three distinctive white spots along the back. A deep quadrangular occipital pit, its anterior edge, as viewed dorsally, with a slight ridge. A low ridge on each side of pit between tympanic and parietal spines. Pectoral rays strongly modally at 17. Description: Characterized by mottled grey to brownish red color with large obscure dark blotches and with few isolated white spots or blotches; single upper opercular spine; moderately long snout, 3.0-3.2 in head length; interorbital width 6.5-7.6 in head length; prominent fringed fleshy flaps on chin; numerous small tentacles, flaps and cirri on head, body and fins; presence of tentacle above the eye, up to twice orbit diameter in length; depth of body 2.7-3.2 in SL.

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Taiwan and the Philippines, south to the Great Barrier Reef.

Habitat

It inhabits coastal reefs, protected areas of bays or lagoons, often where it can be well camouflaged in areas of algae, seagrass or sponge.