Smallscale Scorpionfish

Scorpaenopsis oxycephala

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth5–31 m
Water temperature24–30 °C
Best monthsMay, October, and December
How commonRare

Photo credit: (c) Georgina Jones, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

About this species

Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, the tasseled scorpionfish, or small-scaled scorpionfish, is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It has a wide distribution in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the largest species in its genus.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 27 records
February: 25 records
March: 16 records
April: 30 records
May: 47 records
June: 26 records
July: 29 records
August: 19 records
September: 31 records
October: 34 records
November: 34 records
December: 42 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 5–31 m · Deepest record: 235 m

0–10 m: 9 records
10–20 m: 14 records
20–30 m: 20 records
30–40 m: 4 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 2 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 24–30 °C

22–24 °C: 18 records
24–26 °C: 11 records
26–28 °C: 11 records
28–30 °C: 35 records

Photos

(c) Georgina Jones, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist
(c) libby hepburn, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Ben Costamagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Smallscale Scorpionfish, Tasseled Scorpionfish

Names in 2 more languages

French: Faux Poisson-pierre, Poisson-scorpion à houppes, Rascasse à filaments
Japanese: Ourumakasago, オオウルマカサゴ

Other scientific names: Scorpaena oxycephala, Scorpaena oxycephalus, Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, Scorpaeopsis oxycephalus

Similar species

Devil scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
Bigmouth Scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis brevifrons
hairy stingfish
Scorpaenopsis cirrosa
Flasher Scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis macrochir
Raggy scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis venosa
Bandtail Scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis neglecta

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
364 open-data records from 1849 to 2021.
Species data updated October 30, 2026.

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