Untitled - Alaska Resources Library

Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae — Rockfishes or Scorpionfishes
Some taxonomists (e.g., Ishida 1994, Eschmeyer 1998) include Adelosebastes, Sebastes, Sebastolobus, and a few
genera not in our area in a separate family Sebastidae, while others may include only the live-bearing
rockfishes, genus Sebastes, in Sebastidae (e.g., Smith and Wheeler 2004). Both of those alternatives are
in need of further research.
Adelosebastes latens Eschmeyer, Abe, & Nakano, 1979. Aleutian Scorpionfish or Emperor Rockfish. To
41 cm (13.2 in) TL (Orr et al. 2000). North Pacific Ocean at Emperor Seamounts (Eschmeyer et al.
1979, Barsukov et al. 1983) and south of Delarof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska (Orr and Baker 1996).
At depths of 687–1,200 m (2,253–3,937 ft) (min.: Orr and Baker 1996; max.: Amaoka in Masuda et al.
1984).
Pontinus furcirhinus Garman, 1899. Red Scorpionfish. To 25 cm (9.8 in) TL (Robertson and Allen 2002).
Southern Baja California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995) to Paita, Peru (Chirichigno 1974), including Gulf
of California, Islas Galápagos, and Isla Cocos (Robertson and Allen 2002). At depths of 46–390 m (151–
1,287 ft) (min.: LACM 9717.001; max.: Robertson and Allen 2002).
Pontinus sierra (Gilbert, 1890). Speckled Scorpionfish. To 24.5 cm (9.9 in) TL (Amezcua Linares 1996).
Southern Baja California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995) to Peru (4°55'S, 81°19'W; Chirichigno 1974),
including Gulf of California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995). About 20 m (66 ft; Aguilar-Palomino et al.
2001) to 273 m (895 ft; Robertson and Allen 2002).
Pontinus vaughani Barnhart & Hubbs, 1946. Spotback Scorpionfish. To 57 cm (22.4 in) TL (Robertson and
Allen 2002). Isla Cedros, central Baja California (SIO 64-275) to Peru (Zeballos et al. 1998), including
southwest part of Gulf of California and Islas Revillagigedo (Robertson and Allen 2002). At depths of
30–120 m (98–394 ft) (min.: SIO 71-32; max.: Zeballos et al. 1998).
Pontinus sp. A. To at least 20 cm (7.9 in) TL. Southern Baja California, mouth of Gulf of California, and
central Mexico to Peru. At depths of 50–150 m (164–492 ft). All in Robertson and Allen (2002).
Scorpaena guttata Girard, 1854. California Scorpionfish. To 47 cm (18.5 in) SL (Gartman and Groce 1998).
Santa Cruz, central California to Gulf of California (Miller and Lea 1972). Tidepools (Metz 1912) and
surf zone to 183 m (600 ft) (min.: Carlisle et al. 1960; max.: Miller and Lea 1972).
Scorpaena histrio Jenyns, 1840. Bandfin Scorpionfish, Darkblotch Scorpionfish, or Player Scorpionfish. To
27 cm (10.6 in) TL (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Isla Guadalupe (SIO 46-152), central Baja California
(Robertson and Allen 2002) to Chile (Pequeño 1989), including Gulf of California (Robertson and Allen
2002) and Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). At depths of 5–160 m (17–524 ft; Robertson
and Allen 2002).
Scorpaena mystes Jordan & Starks, 1895. Pacific Spotted Scorpionfish or Stone Scorpionfish. To 45 cm
(17.7 in) TL (Amezcua Linares 1996). Redondo Beach, southern California (Swift 1986) to Chile
(Pequeño 1989), including Gulf of California (Poss in Fischer et al. 1995), Islas Galápagos (Grove and
Lavenberg 1997), and other offshore islands (Robertson and Allen 2002). Intertidal area and to 85 m
(279 ft) (min.: SIO 52-117; max.: Amezcua Linares 1996). Also recently as Scorpaena plumieri mystes.
Scorpaena russula Jordan & Bollman, 1890. Reddish Scorpionfish or Shortspine Red Scorpionfish. To at
least 13 cm (5.1 in) TL (Robertson and Allen 2002). Bahia Abreojos (26°48'N, 113°25'W), southern Baja
California (SIO 59-70) to Chimbote, Peru (Chirichigno and Vélez 1998), including Gulf of California
(Allen and Robertson 1994). At depths of 7–160 m (23–525 ft) (min.: LACM 42703.023; max.: Robertson
and Allen 2002).
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