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False Stonefish
Scorpaenopsis diabolus (Cuvier, 1829)

Family

Scorpaenidae

Size

30 cm

Distribution

Indo-Pacific - central Western Australia to northern New South Wales

Depth

1 m - 70 m

A False Stonefish at a depth of 14 m, 'Steve's Bommie', Ribbon Reefs north of Port Douglas, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, December 2000. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.

A 12 mm SL False Stonefish from Johnson Island (approx. 1300 km south of Hawaii), July 1968. Photo © J. Randall. View larger image.

A False Stonefish at a depth of 14 m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, December 1997. Photo © I. Shaw. View larger image.

A line drawing showing the head of a False Stonefish. The arrow points to the branched posttemporal spine. Illustration © Hiroyuki Motomura. View larger image.

The False Stonefish is one of five humpbacked species of Scorpaenopsis. This species has a large head, pointed snout and short dorsal fin spines. The upper posttemporal spine is branched. This character is not found in any other species of Scorpaenopsis.

Coloration is variable from reddish to orange, blue, green or purple. The inner surface of the pectoral fin is yellowish with a large black spot. When threatened, the fish will flare its pectoral fins exposing the bright colours on the inner surface. This is believed to startle potential predators.

The False Stonefish is common in shallow waters of the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific. It is known from South Africa east to the Marquesas Islands, north to Japan and south to Australia.

View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

This species has also been called the Devil Scorpionfish.

Related links

• Red Rockcod fact sheet
• Sydney Scorpionfish fact sheet
• View the Scorpionfishes list
• View the Scorpionfishes of Australia list

Further reading

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
4. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.Poss. S.G. Scorpaenidae. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. 1999. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO. Rome Pp. iii-v, 2069-2790.
5. Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific: New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. University of Hawai'i Press. Pp. 584.
6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.