Dr. Paddy Ryan, USA
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Scorpaena cardinalis (Solander & Richardson 1842)
Scorpaena cardinalis, colloquially known as the eastern red scorpionfish or grandfather hapuku, occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf around northern New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands, the offshore islands of the Tasman Sea, along the eastern and and soutern coast of Australia.
The eastern red scorpionfish occupies various habitats from shallow estuaries to deep offshore reefs and is common on the rocky coastal reefs of New South Wales/Australia. As with most scorpionfishes, Scorpaena cardinalis has a prominent head with spiny ridges, a large mouth and venomous fin spines. The species has cryptic and highly variable colouration, ranging from dull grey–brown to bright red. It is an ambush predator that feeds on small fish and crustaceans, which it swallows whole.
Cook's Scorpionfish is nocturnally active.
Synonyms:
Scorpaena cookii (Günther, 1874)
Scorpaena cookii (Günther, 1874)
Scorpaena plebeia (Solander, 1842)
hma
Scorpaena cardinalis, colloquially known as the eastern red scorpionfish or grandfather hapuku, occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf around northern New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands, the offshore islands of the Tasman Sea, along the eastern and and soutern coast of Australia.
The eastern red scorpionfish occupies various habitats from shallow estuaries to deep offshore reefs and is common on the rocky coastal reefs of New South Wales/Australia. As with most scorpionfishes, Scorpaena cardinalis has a prominent head with spiny ridges, a large mouth and venomous fin spines. The species has cryptic and highly variable colouration, ranging from dull grey–brown to bright red. It is an ambush predator that feeds on small fish and crustaceans, which it swallows whole.
Cook's Scorpionfish is nocturnally active.
Synonyms:
Scorpaena cookii (Günther, 1874)
Scorpaena cookii (Günther, 1874)
Scorpaena plebeia (Solander, 1842)
hma
