Family: Scorpaenidae, Scorpionfishes view all from this family

Description To 12" (30 cm). Head large; forward body heavy, compressed. 2 dorsal fins orange-red, with sharp pointed spines; tail fin forked. Eyes large, yellow; lower jaw protrudes.

Warning This fish must be handled with extreme care; it has skin-piercing, venomous fin spines.

Habitat Shallow rocky ocean bottoms.

Range Nova Scotia south to Cape Ann, Massachusetts.

Discussion Most species in this genus live on the Pacific coast, where they are known as rockfishes. Acadian Redfish is a carnivorous bottom dweller, eating other fish and mollusks as well as smaller organisms.