Red Scorpionfish - Scorpaena scrofa - Resting on the P29 Wreck

A red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) camouflaged among marine growth on the P29 patrol boat wreck at Ċirkewwa Marine Park, Malta.

This photograph shows a red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) resting among the dense marine growth covering the P29 patrol boat wreck at Ċirkewwa Marine Park, Malta. Its mottled red, orange, brown and pale coloration blends remarkably well with the algae and encrusting organisms around it, while its prominent dorsal spines and fleshy appendages give the fish its characteristic rugged appearance. The red scorpionfish is a sedentary, bottom-dwelling predator found throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the eastern Atlantic, where it feeds on fish, crustaceans and molluscs. It can reach approximately 50 cm in length, and its dorsal spines are venomous. The P29 provides an interesting artificial habitat for Mediterranean marine life. The 52-metre former Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat was deliberately scuttled in 2007 as a diving attraction and artificial reef. Today the upright wreck reaches a maximum depth of about 34 metres and has become one of Ċirkewwa's best-known underwater attractions.