Photo by Peter Southwood
Photo by Peter Southwood
Photo by Guido Zsilavecz
Photo by Guido Zsilavecz
Smoothskin scorpionfish belong to the family Tetrarogidae, or waspfishes, and are related to true scorpionfishes, sharing with them the characteristic venomous dorsal fin spines. How dangerous a smoothkin scorpionfish is we do not know, but at a maximum length of a mere 5 cm, it is hard to consider it to be dangerous, although in classic scorpionfish-style it does raise its dorsal fin threateningly when approached closely!
These small fish are generally found on False Bay reefs further offshore: deeper Castle Rocks and further out, Photographers Reef (JJM), Partridge Point, etc. Reef areas covered by red-chested sea cucumbers and feather stars are good places to find it. The fish tend to remain very still, relying on camouflage, before fleeing in an erratic dash, often causing other smoothskin scorpionfish to flee as well. The location where Peter saw his fish, the cement barge off Long Beach, is quite unusual, in that it is shallower and less overgrown than what I would have considered its usual habitat.
As can be seen from the photos the fish can be brightly coloured, although the colouration shown in the third image is less common than that of the fourth. Distinctive, and always present, is the white bar just in front of the tail.
See "Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay", available from SURG, for more details.
Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, a divers' identification guide, G Zsilavecz, 2005.
Smiths' Sea Fishes, MM Smith and PC Heemstra, 1986.