Common Name
Sharpcheek Scorpionfish
Year Described
Eschmeyer, 1965
Identification
Dorsal Fin: XII, 9.5
Anal Fin: III, 5
Pectoral Fin: 17-18
Pelvic Fin: I, 5
Vertebrae: 25
Body very deep (deepest at gill opening) with a huge head. Dorsal profile highly arched with a steep forehead. Ventral profile flattened. Eye and mouth large. Teeth on premaxillae, dentary, vomer, palatina, and pharyngeal bones villiform. Head with multiple strong ridges and spines. A strong cheek ridge is present (with 7+ spines). Preopercle with several strong spines. No occipital pit. Body covered in ctenoid scales (except the chest). Swimbladder present. Spiny dorsal fin with strong spines and strongly indented membranes. Soft dorsal fin is noticeable higher. Pectoral fin fanlike, with the middle rays being the longest. Upper pectoral rays branched at tip (otherwise unbranched). Caudal fin rounded.
Color
Body and head uniformly bright red. Spiny dorsal fin red, including membrane. Pectoral, soft dorsal, anal, pelvic, and caudal fin with red fin rays, clear membranes, and pale edges.
Size
Maximum size to 15.3cm SL.
Habitat
Bottom dwelling from 439-622m.
Range
Off the SE U.S.A from North Carolina to Florida. Also in the S. Caribbean Sea off Venezuela. Also off S. Brazil (Menezes et al., 2003). Probably widespread in the deep Caribbean.
References
Menezes, N. A. , P. A. Buckup, J. L. de Figueiredo and R. L. de Moura. 2003. Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. Museu de Zoologia de Universidade de São Paulo. 1-159.
Poss, S.G. 2002. Scorpaenidae. In: FAO Species Identification Guide to Fishes of the Western Atlantic. (ed. Carpenter K), pp. 1232-1265. UN FAO Publishers, Rome.