Scorpaena mystes

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	SCORPAENIFORMES	SCORPAENIDAE

Scientific Name:

Scorpaena mystes

Species Authority:

Jordan and Starks 1895

Common Name/s:

English	–	Pacific spotted scorpionfish, Pacific spotted scorpionfish (FB), Stone scorpionfish
French	–	Rascasse scorpion
Spanish	–	Brujo, Diablo chalaco, Escorpión roquero, Lapón, Pez diablo, Pez sapo, Rascacio escorpion, Rascacio escorpión

Synonym/s:

Holoscorpaena didymogramma Fowler 1944

Scorpaena plumieri mystes Jordan and Starks 1895

Taxonomic Notes:

Separate species for Scorpaena mystes and S. plumieri is more commonly accepted.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Iwamoto, T., Eschmeyer, W. & Alvarado, J.
Reviewer/s:	Carpenter, K., Polidoro, B. & Livingstone, S. (Global Marine Species Assessment Team)
Contributor/s:
Justification: This species has a wide distribution, no major threats, and occurs in Marine Protected Areas. This species is listed as Least Concern.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is present in the eastern Pacific, from southern California (Grove and Lavenberg 1997), through the Gulf of California, to Chile; plus the Revillagigedos, Galapagos, Cocos and Malpelo islands.
Countries:	Native: Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Peru; United States
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – eastern central; Pacific – southeast
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There is no population information for this species.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This is a demersal species found in shallow water and seaweed-covered reefs as well as on open, sandy areas (Thomson 1987). This species is found to 85 m. An opportunistic predator, this cryptic fish lies unseen on the reef top waiting for small fishes to pass by (Thomson 1987).
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats. This species is important for subsistence fisheries, commonly caught with hook and line. Although the flesh is of excellent quality, it is not utilized commercially due to its venomous spines (Poss 1995).

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats. This species is important for subsistence fisheries, commonly caught with hook and line. Although the flesh is of excellent quality, it is not utilized commercially due to its venomous spines (Poss 1995).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no species specific conservation measures in place. However, this species' distribution includes a number of Marine Protected Areas in the eastern tropical Pacific region. More information/research about the possible environmental and human impacts that may affect its survival is needed.

Conservation Actions:

There are no species specific conservation measures in place. However, this species' distribution includes a number of Marine Protected Areas in the eastern tropical Pacific region. More information/research about the possible environmental and human impacts that may affect its survival is needed.

Citation:	Iwamoto, T., Eschmeyer, W. & Alvarado, J. 2010. Scorpaena mystes. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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