Scorpaena papillosa

Scorpaena papillosa was first formally described in 1801 as Synanceia papillosus by the German naturalists Johann Gottlob Schneider and Johann Reinhold Forster with the type locality given as Matatuahu Point on the Tāwharanui Peninsula in the Hauraki Gulf of North Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand.[5] The specific name papillosa means "papilose", a reference to the tentacles on the pored cells along the lateral line.[6]

Subspecies

Scorpaena papillosa is divided into 2 subspecies:[7]

Image	Scientific Name	Common Name	Distribution
	S.p. papillosa (Schneider & Forster, 1801)	Dwarf scorpionfish	New Zealand
	S.p. ergastularum Richardson, 1842	Southern red scorpionfish	southeastern Australia

Scorpaena papillosa grows to a maximum length of approximately 30 cm. Its large mouth contains small, thin teeth that form velvety bands (villiform). It has 12 dorsal spines, 9 to 10 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines, 5 anal soft rays, a small row of spines beneath the eyes, and a gill cover margin containing 3 spines.[3]

This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific, in New Zealand and southern Australia.[3]

Scorpaena papillosa lives in marine, demersal, temperate waters, at depths of 5–50 metres (16–164 ft).[8][3] It can be found on rocky bottoms, in shallow estuaries, in muddy waters as well as other environments, such as in offshore kelp beds and shallow seagrass beds. Juveniles of this species are sometimes found in large rock pools.[3]

This fish feeds on many different invertebrates, including crustaceans. It also eats other fish.[9]

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