Jordan’s Red Deepwater Scorpionfsh

This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: scale rows between 6th dorsal-fin spine and lateral line 9-11 (usually 10); scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine and lateral line 10-12 (11); middle postorbital scale rows 3-5 (4); caudal-peduncle depth 8.8-10.9% (mean 9.9%) of SL; interorbital width at vertical midline of eye 23.3-31.2% (25.6%) of HL; maxillary depth 16.0-18.9% (16.9%) of HL; lower opercular spine length 25.6-36.2% (32.8%) of HL;; dorsal margin of interorbital space slightly raised; nasal and parietal spines present (imbedded about 12.0 cm SL or more); no supraocular spine; second lacrimal spine directed ventrally or posteroventrally (usually posteroventrally); tip of lower opercular spine beyond posterior margin of opercle (sometimes just short of margin in specimens up to ca. 8.0 cm SL); jaws with short, dense conical teeth; premaxillary teeth in 3-6 irregular rows, totaling ca. 200 teeth. Colouration: head and body base color scarlet to dull red (rarely dusky red), with smudge-like or numerous small blurred black blotches above the lateral line when fresh; caudal fin uniformly pale in preserved specimens; palate surrounded by vomerine and palatine plates and gill arches grey (oral surface uniformly pale in specimens up to ca. 8.0 cm SL (Ref. 123746).

分布於印度-西太平洋海域：由印度洋東至日本福島縣，南至澳洲；亦有記錄來自阿拉弗拉海。

除學術研究外，經濟價值不大。

體中長，側扁，橢圓形。頭大，側扁。眼中大，上側位，眼球高達頭背緣；口中大，端位，斜裂，上下頷等長，上頷骨延伸至眼眶下方後緣。上下頷、鋤骨及腭骨具細齒，腭骨齒群左右相連，呈人字狀。鼻棘1個，小而鈍，位於前鼻孔內側。淚骨長方形，外側具4-5輻射狀低稜，具1向後長棘；下緣前葉、中葉與後葉各具1棘。眼眶下具第一及第二眶下骨，無第三、第四及第五眶下骨。第一眶下骨菱形且寬短，具1發達縱稜；第二眶下骨長方形，具1縱稜，無棘。眶前骨具5輻射狀感覺孔。前鰓蓋骨5棘，第二棘短小；鰓蓋骨具2叉向稜，後端各具1棘。下鰓蓋骨及間鰓蓋骨無棘。顱骨棘與稜弱小。側篩骨光滑，具1大眼前棘。額骨光滑，眶上稜低平，眼上棘低平且不明顯，眼後棘消失。鼓棘1個，短小。眼間距額稜1對，低平，無額棘。頂骨光滑，頂稜低平，後部具頂棘，無頸棘。眼後至側線前端具蝶耳棘1個，短小分岔；翼耳棘1個，翼耳稜低長；後顳顬棘不明顯；肩胛棘各1個； 脈棘1個。投部平整，無明顯凹陷。顱骨、額骨、眶下稜及前鰓蓋骨具發達黏液腔。前鼻孔後與後鼻孔具1短小皮瓣。鱗中大，圓鱗；頭部除了眼後部、鰓蓋上部及上頷骨後方具鱗片外，其餘部分無鱗，背鰭、臀鰭及腹鰭無鱗。側線前半部斜直，後半部平直，末端延伸至尾鰭基底。背鰭起始於鰓蓋骨上棘稍前方，硬棘與鰭條有鰭膜相連，硬棘部的基底長於軟條部的基底，第四硬棘最長，具硬棘 XII，軟條 9-10；臀鰭起始於背鰭軟條部前下方，鰭長度較背鰭軟條短，具硬棘 III，軟條5；胸鰭大，下側位，無鰭條分離，未達臀鰭起點，軟條21-23，具2不分枝，13分枝，8不分枝鰭條；腹鰭胸位，具硬棘 I，軟條5；尾鰭圓形。體紅色，腹側較淡，體側具褐紅色斑紋。(李承運、林沛立2012/11編寫)

主要棲息於深水底棲環境。以守株待兔般快速捕捉過往之小魚與甲殼動物為食。

Known from seamounts and knolls