Bigscale Scorpionfish Scorpaena scrofa

The Bigscale Scorpionfish, also called the Large-scaled and the Red Scorpionfish is native to reefs in the northeastern Atlantic, from as north as Britain (rarely) to Senegal and including the Mediterranean, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. It is also around the southern African cape into the Indian Ocean.

Its appearance is variable, with shades of red, red-brown, pink or orange predominant. The largest eastern Atlantic scorpionfish, it can grow to 50cm long. A nocturnal ambush predator living in rocks, caves, mud and burrows in the day, it has venomous spines. It is sedentary and solitary.