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Spiny Scorpionfish
This gruesome-looking fish is known as a spiny scorpionfish (Trachyscorpia cristulata). Sometimes known as an Atlantic thornyhead, it is found in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean on muddy or sandy bottoms up to a depth of 8,200 feet (2,500 meters). It grow to a maximum size of 20 inches (50 centimeters) in length. The spiny scorpionfish gets its name from the twelve spines along its dorsal fin. The mottled color pattern of this fish helps it to blend in with its background.
NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition
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