Scorpaena papillosa

Southern rock cod | Scorpaena papillosus
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Moruya, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Tasman Peninsula, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Batemans Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Bermagui, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Moruya, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, juvenile, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, juvenile, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Stanley, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa, Tasman Peninsula, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa
Scorpaena papillosa

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

A variably coloured species which may have a white collar behind the eye and a white patch behind the anal fin. Often confused with S. jacksoniensis as their distributions overlap. However, S. papillosa has a more marked network of dark scale edges on the body, and generally less filaments on the body (may be none or a just a single row of small filaments along the lateral line). S. jacksoniensis sometimes has significant 'growths' of filaments, especially on the head. Behaviour of the two species is also different; S. papillosa is more cryptic, much shyer and adults seen by divers are much smaller than for S. jacksoniensis. Small animals are very common on coastal reefs in Victoria and Tasmania, with the largest animals living mainly in deep water.


Information

Max Size: 30 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 10.3-22.9°C

Depth: 1-130m

Habitat Generalization Index: 5.82

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (22.9% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney