Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Scorpaenodes xyris
escorpion arco iris, rascacio arco iris, Rainbow scorpionfish
Size: Lengths of at least 14 cm. Mottled and blotched in shades of red to reddish brown and white. Can pale, darken or change color to blend with background. No barbels under mouth.
Habitat: Among reefs, rocks and crevices in near-shore waters to depth of 50 m
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Order
Perciformes
Family
Scorpaenidae
Genus
Scorpaenodes
Species
xyris
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Sebastopsis xyris Jordan & Gilbert, 1882, fide Appeltans et al. (2010)
Origin: Native
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Eastern Pacific, from California to Peru, and Clipperton, Cocos, Guadalupe, Revillagigedos and Galapagos. Southern California to Peru and all the offshore islands of the Eastern Pacific.
- Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
- Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
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This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Scorpaenodes xyris", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7815. Accessed 31 October 2026.