"Scorpaenopsis diabolus", the false stonefish or the devil scorpionfish, is a carnivorous ray-finned fish in the order Scorpaeniformes, the scorpionfishes and flatheads. It has venomous spines and lives in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is a bottom-dwelling predator that relies on its camouflage to catch passing prey.
Similar species: Perch-like Fishes
By Albert Kang
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Uploaded Jul 26, 2017. Captured in Jl. Silayukti, Padangbai, Manggis, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali 80871, Indonesia.
comments (6)
Marine life can be so amazing, so I wouldn't agree to be sorry that you are not diving, Jivko :p
Ferdy - usually, if we need to hold on to a rock or part of a structure (like shipwreck), we will wave our hand on the substrate to make sure we didn't missed seeing any Scorpionfish or Stonefish as they are so well camouflage. This is to avoid accidently 'holding' or 'touching' them, it could be a costly lesson to touch them!
Posted 7 years ago
I naturally recognized the fish, but I joked to emphasize the perfect camouflage.
In our Black Sea there is one fish, Trachinus draco - Greater weever, hiding in the sands close to the coast. Once as a child I stepped on it... OMG! It was painful! I suffered more than a month. Posted 7 years ago
And ouch! that must have been a very painful and traumatic encounter :( Posted 7 years ago