Yellowspotted Scorpionfish, Sebastapistes cyanostigma (Bleeker 1856)


Other Names: Coral Scorpionfish, Pink and Yellow Scorpionfish, Yellow-spotted Scorpionfish

A Yellowspotted scorpionfish, Sebastapistes cyanostigma, at Pangani, Tanga, Tanzania, October 2009. Source: Ken Clifton / Flickr. License: CC by Attribution-ShareAlike

Summary:
A small pinkish to reddish scorpionfish covered in many tiny whitish spots and  large yellow blotches, and yellowish fins. Yellowspotted Scorpionfish usually shelter among branching corals.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2020, Sebastapistes cyanostigma in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4346

Yellowspotted Scorpionfish, Sebastapistes cyanostigma (Bleeker 1856)

More Info


Distribution

Offshore reefs of north Western Australia, Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and the far northern Great Barrier Reef and reefs in the Coral Sea, to off North Stradbroke Island, Queensland; also at Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean. Elsewhere, the species occurs in the Indo-west-central Pacific. 
Inhabits areas with rich coral growth where it shelters among branches of Pocillopora, Millepora and Styllopora corals, often in the surge zone on reef crests.

Species Citation

Scorpaena cyanostigma Bleeker, 1856, Natuur. Tijdschr. Neder. Indië 11: 400. Type locality: Buru Island, Moluccas, (as Boeroe), Indonesia.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2020

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Yellowspotted Scorpionfish, Sebastapistes cyanostigma (Bleeker 1856)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Bleeker, P. 1856. Bijdrage tot de kennis der ichthyologische fauna van het eiland Boeroe. Natuurwetenschappelijk Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië 11: 383-414.

Fricke, R., Kulbicki, M. & Wantiez, L. 2011. Checklist of the fishes of New Caledonia, and their distribution in the Southwest Pacific Ocean (Pisces). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) Neue Serie 4: 341-463.

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. 2016. Sebastapistes cyanostigma. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T69919569A70010025. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69919569A70010025.en. Downloaded on 20 June 2020.

Poss, S.G. 1999. Families Scorpaenidae, Caracanthidae, Aploactinidae. pp. 2291-2358 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 2069-2790 pp.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37287087

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Danger:Venomous spines

Depth:2-30 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:7 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map