278 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
eye; a short filament on front of supraocular ridge and a small one on upper part of eye; anterior 
nostril with a short fringe; a pair of short filaments at tip of snout; 2 or 3 short, broad, dark flaps on 
cheek and others on various parts of head; dorsal high, longest spine 2 in head, equaling longest ray; 
first anal spine short, less than half second, which is slightly longer, but much stronger, than third, 
1.9 in head, or equaling longest anal ray; pectoral broad, width at base 2.5 in head, length 1.2, upper 
rays but one divided, lower simple, their tips free, longest ray reaching past origin of anal; ventrals 
shorter, barely reaching origin of anal, 1.6 in head; caudal 1.5 in head. Scales smooth, thin, and 
firm; a series of very large dermal flaps along lateral line and smaller flaps scattered over body; a few 
embedded scales on cheek and opercle; breast scaled. 
Color in life variable. Three examples, taken at San Antonio Bridge January 14, were described 
as follows: Body dark-brown, inclining to brick-red; belly pale-reddish; top and sides of head olive- 
brown; dorsal brown, soft portion palest; caudal reddish-brown, crossed by 2 narrow pinkish bars; 
anal brownish, a large black blotch near base of rays, then a broad whitish bar with reddish blotches, 
next a series of 5 black spots on rays, then brown, and last a pale border; pectoral brown with a 
Fig. 84. — Scorpsena grandicornis. 
narrow pale border and 2 irregular dark crossbars separating lighter-brown, central portion of fin 
with light wash of old gold; axil pale-grayish with numerous small white spots; similar but larger 
spots upon branchiostegals; lower jaw greenish, with series of white blotches; ventrals pale at base, 
then 3 oblong black blotches on middle rays, beyond which is pale-brown with pale border. Two 
other examples taken at same time had body brownish, belly rosy; head mottled-brownish; dorsal 
brown, soft part paler; caudal pale with 2 broad brown bars; ventrals rosy at base, dark at tips; 
pectoral yellowish-brown, with black on tips of upper rays and a black blotch at base of lower rays; 
ocular cirri brown. 
The lion-fish occurs from the Florida Keys to Brazil, and has been recorded from Key West, 
Havana, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Jamaica, and Martinique. It is the most abundant species of the 
family about Porto Rico, our collections containing numerous specimens from San Juan, San Geronimo, 
Aguadilla, Mayaguez, Puerto Real, Ensenada del Boqueron, Guanica, Ponce, Hucares, and Fajardo. 
While Scorpsena plumieri is often found in water of considerable depth, this species frequents shallow 
water among algte, where, on account of its remarkable protective coloration and long alga-like 
filaments, which are also in the nature of protective mimicry, together with the rough armature of the 
head and its poison spines, it would seem extraordinarily well protected. It reaches the length of a 
foot or less and is of striking appearance, much dreaded by the fishermen, who pronounce it ‘ ‘ muy 
malo ’ ’ and can not be induced to touch it. 
Scorpsena grandicornis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., IV, 309, 1829, Martinique, Porto Rico, Havana, 
Santo Domingo; Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquena, 323, 1881; Stahl, 1. c., 78 and 164, 1883; Jordan & Evermann, 1. c.. 
1850, 1898. 
