Q: We found this brightly colored, very spiny fish floating at the surface off the west coast of Hawaii's Big Island in about 240 feet of water. Still alive, it was finning feebly. We netted it for close examination and were glad we didn't try to grab it. It had sharp points everywhere. Its mouth was full of its swim bladder so it had obviously come up from the deep and couldn't get back down. What is it?
Jim Rizzuto
Kamuela, Hawaii
A: I'm reasonably confident the fish with a head only a mother could love is a large-headed scorpionfish, Pontinus macrocephalus, also known in Hawaii as O'opu kai nohu. You showed good judgment to take care while handling it. This species is a member of the family Scorpaenidae, a group that contains many spiky critters including lionfish, firefish, scorpionfishes and turkeyfish. While large-headed scorpionfish are not considered venomous, some members of the family Scorpaenidae rank among the world's most venomous fish. Many scorpionfishes have venom glands at the bases of their spines on their dorsal, anal and pelvic fins. If these spines puncture the skin, they can cause extremely painful injuries — even death! If stung, place the affected area into hot water, as hot as you can stand it without scalding. In contrast, the numerous sharp spines on the fins of P. macrocephalus and other non-venomous scorpionfishes won't necessarily kill you, but can still cause nasty injuries if not handled carefully. The large-headed scorpionfish is found throughout the tropical Pacific Ocean from Japan to Indonesia and east to Hawaii. It mostly stays on seamounts and around deep reefs at depths of 600 to 900 feet. At 15 inches long, this one represents about the maximum size for the species. The Hawaiian state record weighed 6.33 pounds and was caught in 720 feet of water off Barbers Point, Oahu, in March 2004. — Ben Diggles
