Long Nose Hawkfish on Sea Fan

Most scorpionfish are bottom dwellers which lie motionless on the coral reef in wait for prey. Scorpionfishes have venomous spines as part of their dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins. One scorpionfish is called the stonefish and its venomous spines can be fatal to humans. The lionfish and turkeyfish have alternating dark and light vertical bands of coloration on their body and have beauti­ful diaphanous fins. Their venomous spines and those of the scorpionfish are not usually fatal to humans but can cause extreme pain. The lionfishes and turkeyf­ishes hover around the reef rather than remaining motionless on the reef like the scorpion­fish and stonefish.

While these scorpionfishes are dangerous to touch, they are not con­sidered aggressive animals unless cornered and threatened. Their venomous spines serve only as a last-resort defense. Stonefish and scorpionfish will remain motionless in one spot in the presence of scuba diver activity unless and until they feel sufficient­ly disturbed, at which point they will swim away. Stonefish have a protective coloration that blends with the reef, and they are difficult to spot. About the only way a person can be hurt by the stonefish is to accidently step on or fall on or touch the dorsal spines of the stonefish.  A lionfish always tries to maintain distance from scuba divers and will generally ignore divers and go about its business unless cornered.  If a lionfish feels threatened, it will turn away so that its venomous spines are always pointed back toward the threatening presence. However, these fish do not “attack” with their spines, but merely display a defensive posture until the threat moves off.

This photograph is of a scorpionfish (sometimes referred to as a sculpinfish). Many scorpionfish are beautifully colored in red, blue, or brown hues and some have the chameleon-like ability to change their coloration to match the reef pattern on which they rest. Scorpionfish are typified by fleshy flaps and growths that grow out of the body and face. These growths look almost like a beard around the mouth of the scorpionfish.