Eastern red scorpionfish

Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D 9 (8 rays in one specimen), with the 4th (rarely third) dorsal-fin spine longest; pectoral-fin rays 16-18 (mode 17); scale rows in longitudinal series 60-74 (68); pored lateral-line scales 23-25 (24); scales above lateral line 6-9 (8), below 21-26 (22); scale rows between 6th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 8 or 9 (9); scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 8-11 (10); pre-dorsal scale rows 4-8 (6); gill rakers on upper limb 4-6 (5), lower limb 9-13 (12) [8-10 (9) and 1-4 (3) rakers on ceratohyal and hypobranchial, respectively], total rakers 14-18 (17); exposed cycloid scales covering pectoral-fin base and anteroventral surface of body (some scales covered by thin skin, especially in large adults); no longitudinal ridge on lateral surface of maxilla; lateral lacrimal spine with 2 spinous points; anterior lacrimal spine with 1-3 small spinous points on its posterior margin; posterior lacrima spine with 1-3 spinous points, directed posteroventraly throughout life; median interorbital ridge present; no coonal spines; occipital pit and supplement preopercular spine present; pterotic spine simple, smooth distally throughout life; space between upper and lower opercular spines covered by thin skin without sensory pores or canals; a few skin flaps or tentacles on anterodorsal surface of body; without a large black blotch on spinous portion of dorsal fin in both sexes; 2 large white blotches, their diameters subequal to pupil diameter, on caudal-fin base (Ref. 93606).