Latin name

Dendrochirus brachypterus

Other name

Short-finned turkeyfish, shortspine rockcod or shortspine scorpionfish.

Identification

The dwarf lionfish has a short tentacle above the eye and leaf-like projections on the head and along the lateral line, which vary in development. 

Features of fish fins

Body colour ranges from dark brown with speckles to reddish brown with darker stripes on the body. The pectoral fins are clearly fringed. The filaments from the dorsal spines have black spots with a red border and the pectoral fins have 8-10 dark stripes.

Fish colouring

Dwarf lionfish have 13 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays in the dorsal fin, the middle spines of the dorsal fin are shorter than the depth of the body, and the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 soft rays. There are no spines on the pelvic fins.

Distribution

Widespread in the Indo-Pacific from the east coast of Africa from the Red Sea south to South Africa and then east to Samoa, north to the Philippines and south to Australia. In Australian waters, the species is found from Houtman Abrolios Island in Western Australia to Sydney in New South Wales and Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. 

Habitat

Dwarf lionfish are found at depths of 1 to 80 metres (3 to 262 feet 6 inches) on reef flats and shallow lagoons with algae-covered rocks on sandy bottoms.

Size

The maximum published total length of this species is 17 cm (6.7 in).

Behavior

Adults are often found on sponges, while small groups of up to 10 juveniles are often found on reefs. During the day it hides in caves, crevices and between sponges.

Food and feeding habits

These fish are nocturnal predators that feed on small crustaceans. 

Reproduction

Males and females form pairs to mate, and females have specialised structures on their ovaries, including stalk-like plates that produce eggs and secretory cells in the epithelium. 

Fishing

The dwarf lionfish is used as a food fish in a natural fishery.

Relationship with a person

This species is sometimes seen in aquariums. The spines on its dorsal fin are poisonous.