Madeira rockfish

Appearance

Diagnosis: head large; snout as long as orbit diameter, 10% of SL; preorbital bone with 2 large spines over maxilla; sub-orbitals with 2 spinous points; upper post-temporal spine present; first preopercular spine short, second more slender than third; cleithrum with 2 spines; other spines as for the genus. Occipital pit absent. Pores at symphysis of lower jaw separate and small. Supraocular tentacle short, less than half of orbit diameter; a few tentacles on lower preopercular spines, on eye, on some lateral line scales and on some body scales. Dorsal fin with 12 spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral fin with 15-16 rays and not reaching first anal spine. Slightly ctenoid scales on sides of body; 52-56 vertical rows of scales; chest and pectoral fin base with mostly cycloid scales; most of head naked. Vertebrae 24. Gillrakers 15-18, 5 on upper arch. Colour: variable, head brown, mottled with white; body dark with some pale areas; dorsal fin blotched with brown pigment; pectoral fin with elongate dark spots; other fins with brown and white spots. Size: to 15 cm, usually to 10 cm.

Naming

Synonyms
Helicolenus maderensis (Valenciennes, 1833)
Sebastapistes maderensis (Valenciennes, 1833)
Sebastes maderensis (Valenciennes, 1833)
Sebastipistes maderensis (Valenciennes, 1833)
Scorpaena rubellio Jordan & Gunn, 1898

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: Azores, Madeira, and Morocco to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Senegal. Also known from several localities in the Mediterranean Sea.

Habitat

Inhabits shallow coastal waters; rocky areas and favours habitats with generous brown algal growth, rocky depressions and ledges and small boulders.

Food

Feeds on crustaceans and small fishes.

Defense

Anterolateral glandular groove with venom gland.