Please help in identification, this is from Grande Island, Goa, SW coast of India.
Some of the important characters are not clearly visible, but this is a species of Scorpaenopsis, most probably the
Bandtail scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta Heckel 1837 (family SCORPAENIDAE)
That species is distributed from India east to the Philippines, north to southern Japan, south to northwestern Australia. It is found on sand or mud bottoms, often near reefs, from shallow water to 40 m depth.
There is a Facebook page dedicated to helping ID marine species. You may find it very helpful. https://www.facebook.com/groups/idpls/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/idpls/
This species is Scorapaenopsis ramaraoi reported from Digha coastal waters.
It could be either S. ramaraoi or S. neglecta. The colour pattern is closely resembling S. neglecta (especially the large orange blotches on the pectoral fin), though we find some variation in both species. Unfortunately, we cannot see the distinguishing characters in the photograph: longitudinal scale series 42-45 in S. neglecta, 45-48 in S. ramaraoi; pectoral-fin rays usually 17 in S. neglecta, 18-19 in S. ramaraoi; upper opercular spine double in S. neglecta, single in S. ramaraoi.
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