California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata, Juvenile. Fish caught off the Shelter Island Pier, San Diego, California, December 2015. Length: 10.1 cm (4.0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish caught from coastal waters off Catalina Island, California, December 2020. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Josh Leisen (joshadventures.com), Gaylord, Michigan.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Diego, California, December 2020. Length: 23 cm (9.2 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, San Diego, California.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, March 2008. Length: 25 cm (9.8 inches).
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish caught from coastal waters off Long Beach, California, October 2015. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish caught from coastal waters off Long Beach, California, October 2015. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Fish caught from coastal waters off Loreto, Baja California Sur, October 2016. Length: 32 cm (13 inches).
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters within Mission Bay, San Diego, California, March 2019. Length: 36 cm (14 inches). Photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.
The California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfishs or Scorpaenidae Family, and is known in Mexico as escorpión Californiano. Globally, there are fifty-nine species in the genus Scorpaena, of which sixteen are found in Mexican waters, ten in the Atlantic and six in the Pacific Ocean.
The California Scorpionfish has a relatively slender spine-laden compressed rectangular-shaped body that taper posteriorly; their body depth is 29% to 33% of standard length. They vary in color featuring mixtures of bright red, brown, tan, white, and lavender. Their body is densely covered with dark brown and black spots. In adults, the anal, caudal, dorsal, and pectoral fins have significantly larger spotting organized in rows; the juveniles lack such fin spotting. Their head is enlarged, depressed, bulbous, and very bony with numerous spines, short barbels, and several cirri. They have medium-sized eyes. There is a deep depression (pit) before and after their eyes and the ridge below their eyes has 0 to 3 spines. Their fins are large with the anal fin having 3 spines and 5 or 6 rays; their caudal fin is square with a ragged margin; their dorsal fin has 12 spines and 8 to 10 rays; and, their pectoral fins have 17 to 19 rays. They have 16 to 19 gill rakers. Their bodies are covered with smooth scales.
The California Scorpionfish is found in tidal pools at depths up to 183 m (600 feet) but are more common at depths greater than 30 m (100 feet) within rocky structures, hard bottoms, and occasionally over muddy and sandy bottoms. They reach a maximum of 47 cm (19 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.98 kg (4 lbs 6 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Cedros Island, Baja California in August 2006. They reside on the bottom during daylight hours but become voracious predators during the night, feeding on small crabs, small fish, octopus, and shrimp. They spawn in late spring. The California Scorpionfish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The California Scorpionfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific but has a limited distribution being found from Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, northward along the southwest, central and northwest coasts of Baja, with the southerly boundary established by a fish in my possession and along the east coast of mainland Mexico south to Mazatlán.
The California Scorpionfish is very similar in appearance to, and can be confused with, the Peruvian Scorpionfish, Scorpaena afuerae, the Player Scorpionfish, Scorpaena histrio, and the Rainbow Scorpionfish, Scorpaenodes xyris, however all three lack the dark spotting on the body and fins.
From a conservation perspective the California Scorpionfish is currently considered to be Data Deficient. They are a target of the California sport fishing industry. They are of declining commercial interest although are still considered a delicacy in Asia. Caution: As with all Scorpionfish, the California Scorpionfish should be treated as “hazardous” and released as soon as possible, being careful not to allow their poisonous spines to penetrate the skin. On November 27, 2023 I caught one of these and during the unhooking in an effort the release the fish I dropped it and the dorsal fin penetrated the top of my foot. This caused severe agony and with significant continuing pain that slowly moved up the leg. Gradual swelling occurred. My captain for the day suggested we call the day short and we proceeded immediately to a local fire station where I received shots of Lidocaine around the puncture wound. Bottom line this was not a very effective treatment. Scorpionfish poison is produced by glandular tissue in longitudinal grooves on each side of their spine. Wounds from these spines vary from bee-sting intensity to unbelievable agony with significant swelling. Medical reports indicate that these wounds are not life-threatening and treatment involves soaking the affected area for 30 to 90 minutes in water between 43.3oC (110oF) and 44.4oC (112oF). The Scorpionfish toxins are peptides that are broken down by human enzymes into non-toxic fragments; this process is significantly enhanced by heat. Although wounds from Scorpionfish typically do not cause complications, these fish should be treated as “extremely hazardous” and released as soon as possible, being careful not to allow their poisonous spines to penetrate the skin. Medical treatment should be sought for any wounds that cause significant pain or other symptoms. A fairly recent publication by F.V. Campos, et al., Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins, 22:35 (2016) has identified one of the major toxin in Scorpaena plumieri as a 130 kDa two subunit glycoprotein named cytolytictoxin (SP-Ctx).