Pi132 Parascorpaena armata

 

Pi132     Parascorpaena armata

 Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class:   Actinopterygii

Order:  Scorpaeniformes

Family: Scorpaenidae

Tribe:   Scorpaenini

Genus: Parascorpaena

 Scorpaenidae have a compressed body with the head typically having ridges and spines. There are 1-2 spines on the operculum, with 2 normally being divergent, and 3-5 on the preoperculum, normally 5. The suborbital stay is normally securely attached to the preoperculum, although in some species it may not be attached. If there are scales they are typically ctenoid. They normally have a single dorsal fin which is frequently incised. The dorsal fin contains between 11 and 17 spines and 8 and 17 soft rays while the anal fin usually has between 1 and 3 spines, normally 3, and 3 to 9 soft rays, typically 5, There is a single spine in the pelvic fin and between 2 and 5 soft rays, again typically 5, while the large pectoral fin contains 11-25 soft rays and sometimes has a few of the lower rays free of its membrane. The gill membranes are not attached to the isthmus. In some species, there is no swim bladder. There are venom glands in the spines of the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins in some species. Most species utilise internal fertilisation, and some species are ovoviviparous while others lay their eggs in a gelatinous mass, with Scorpaena guttata being reported to create a gelatinous "egg balloon" as large as 20 cm (7.9 in) across.[2] The largest species is the shortraker rockfish (Sebastes borealis) which attains a maximum total length of 108 cm (43 in) while many species have maximum total lengths of 5 cm (2.0 in).