Malta Fishing Forum

This topic is meant to show which are the fish that are dangerous which can be encountered during fishing.

Weevers and the Stargazer.

The most hazardous of all are the TRACHINIDAE group,that is Weevers and the Stargazer.
The TRACHINIDAE group consists basically of four species which are:

a) Maltese:-Sawt
    English:-Lesser Weever
    Italian:-Tracina Vipera
    Latin:-Echiichthys  vipera 


This Fish reaches a total length of 10 to 20 cms. The orbital margin is spineless and of a yellow-brown colour and it has white abdomen. The caudal fin is edged black. The first dorsal fin is also black and contains five venomous spines. An opercular and venomous spine is also found at each side of the gill covers.
The lesser weever is littoral and benthic, living on sandy, muddy bottoms, ranging from a few meters deep to 150 m (in winter). Resting on the bottom, its position can be described as with eyes buried and the tip of the first dorsal fin exposed. Because of its poison and its occurrence near beaches, it is considered to be one of Europe's most dangerous weever species. There are venom glands located on its first dorsal fin, which is completely black, and on the gill cover. This species has the most potent toxin of all the weevers.

b) Maltese:-Sawt Kbir
    English:-Greater Weever
    Italian:-Tracina Drago
    Latin:-Trachinus draco


This Fish reaches a total length of 20 to 40 cms. The color of its body is a greenish yellow or lime, to dark green and brown, on the head and back, with pale sides, and with yellowish to bluish-brown oblique lines and it has white abdomen.

The greater weever's body is elongate, tapered, laterally compressed, with a large head, and length up to six times its height. The upper rim of the eye has two to three small open spines, in front of each eye.

Its pectoral fin is rounded with a notch. On the first dorsal fin, both of the spines, and that of the gill covers, have venom glands attached to them. The spines are grooved, and when pressed, toxin is driven up the grooves. Care is needed due to the poison causing localized discomfort and swelling, which can occasionally cause death. The wound should be allowed to bleed freely, to help expel toxin, and then may be treated with potassium permanganate solution, or very hot water. The toxin in the venom is thermo-sensible which is deteriorating from 40 ?C, in the event of being bitten by the greater weever, put hot water at the site of the sting and move as quickly to the hospital for treatment. Medical help should be sought.

The mouth is huge and is set obliquely. The eyes are placed toward the top of the head. The dorsal fin is blackish. The second dorsal fin, and anal fins, have a yellow stripe running their length.

The greater weever, like the lesser weever, is found on muddy, sandy or gravelly bottoms, from a few m to about 150 m. It usually rests on the bottom, with eyes closed often, and the tip of the first dorsal fin exposed. At night, they swim around wanderously, even pelagically, feeding on crustaceans,shrimps and crabs, as well as smaller fish.

c) Maltese:-Tracna Tal-Fond
    English:-Starry Weever
    Italian:-Tracina Raggiata
    Latin:-Trachinus radiatus


Length from 20 to 40 cms. There are two spines on the orbital margin. The first dorsal ray is coloured black and again has six poisonous spines. It has one venomous spine on each operculum. The second dorsal has twenty five rays and the abdominal has 27 or 28 thus distinguishable from the Trachinus draco. The colour is black / yellow or brown / yellow. It is adorned with black blotches which congregate in groups on the lateral line. The head is red/brown or purplish/brown. Abdomen white.

d) Maltese:-Tracna Tat-Tbajja
    English:-Spotted Weever
    Italian:-Tracina Ragno
    Latin:-Trachinus araneus


The length is from 20 to 50 cms. The shape of its body is long and laterally flattened, the mouth almost is vertical in the head.  The first dorsal has seven spines which are venomous and connected with a black integument. There is one prominent poisonous spine on each opercular gill cover. The colour at the dorsal fin is dark red / grey speckled with black. The flank is grey / yellow adorned with 6 to 7 rounded black blotches. The abdomen is yellowish / white.

The spotted weever lives close to the bottom down to about 100 m. It is of minor commercial importance. It inhabitates at shallow waters to about 100m depth near rocks and sea grass near by, burrowing in the bottom. Just as other weevers, it feeds on small fishes and crustaceans.

The weevers live in sandy sea bottoms or muddy shores. They spawn in the hot summer months, when they bury themselves in the sand or mudsurf, leaving erected the black first dorsal ray equipped with the venomous spines well visibly exposed. When the fish is disturbed, such as when accidentally treaded upon they become aggressive and defend themselves by stinging the unwary intruder with their needle sharp spines. The araneus species can be found in water even 100 metres in depth. The smaller weevers tend to come inshore and can be found in water only a few inches deep. They can be caught by anglers, but more commonly by the various netting methods and trawlings. Spearfishing a weever constitutes a real hazard, as the injured fish becomes very aggressive and its removal from the spear is rather tricky and difficult as regards avoiding self injury.

The Trachinidae remain alive out of sea for quite a long time and one has to remember that their spines remain poisonous even after the fish dies. It is therefore quite a usual practice for the spines to be cut and removed by fishermen or fishmongers as a precaution both to themselves and to their customers. The culinary food value of weever and commensibility is quite good.

e) Maltese:-Zondu
    English:-Atlantic Stargazer
    Italian:-Pesce Prete
    Latin:-Uranoscopus scaber


The head of this fish is very robust and cuboid in shape. The fish is not laterally compressed but tapers at the tail and has a rather flat white abdomen. The eys are conspicuosly on top of the head (looking at the stars!), hence its scientific name. The big mouth cleft is virtually vertical. There is one spine on the dorsal aspect of each operculum. The first dorsal is small, black and spineless. Its colour is small, black and spineless. The second dorsal has 14 to 15 rays. Its colour is dark / brown or blackish with yellow / grey or brown / grey flanks. The Stargazer reaches a length is about 15 to 25 cms. Its habitat is muddy sandy sea bottoms and it can be found at depths up to 100 metres. Its culinary food value is rather discrete.

This fish takes a very long time to die when out of the sea even after many hours in a refrigerator. Practically all the Maltese fishermen I have interviewed told me that its spines are non-venomous. However, most authoritative books say that the spines are venomous, thus it is perhaps the ones around the Maltese shores that are non-venomous. In view of the fact that it belongs to the weever family I feel that these fish should always be handled with care as it is always better for one to be safe than sorry.

The sting of a weever is acute and intense. The pain frequently is radiated to the area around the limb.The seriousness of the pain reaches its peak thirty minutes after the sting, and then slowly decreases. However, some pain (or other sensation, such as a tingle) may continue to affected the area for up to twenty-four hours. Very rarely, pain can be propagated to the tributary lymph nodes, i.e. those in the groin (when the sting is on the sole of the foot), or those in the armpit if the sting is on the hands).

The best first aid is to reassure the patient of the relative harmlessness of the sting, to wash the wound, and then to immerse it in hot water for at least an hour, in order to ease the pain and help break down the toxin.

So be careful when swimming in sandy beaches or shores.

English - mediterranean barracuda.
Maltese - Lizz.
Italian - luccio marino.
Scientific name - Sphyraena sphyraena.


The barracuda's body is elongated. Its mouth is equipped with very sharp teeth, having the lower jaw longer than the upper. The length of the adult Mediterranean species varies between half to one metre. Its second dorsal and anal fins are practically equal in size. Its colour varies from black to dark / green with a lighter coloured silvery abdomen.

(http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/gallery/602_22_11_08_9_14_25.jpeg)

(http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/gallery/602_22_11_08_9_17_22.jpeg)

English - moray eel.
Maltese - morina or murina.
Italian - murena.

Being long and snake-like, this fish is easily distinguishable. It has a shiny black skin which is speckled prominently with golden / yellow large spots. These are at times also coloured greenish or white. When disturbed, it becomes ferocious. Its mouth is equipped with many sharp teeth and when it bites it does not easily let go. It can grow up to one or two metres. Its blood when fresh can produce toxic symptoms both in animals and human beings. Its bite can also produce toxic manifestations and can take quite a few days to heal. When cooked up to 75 degrees Celcius the toxin looses its poisonous properties.

(http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/gallery/602_22_11_08_9_43_19.jpeg)

To add a couple of notes with regards to the sting of a weever is acute and intense. The pain frequently is radiated to the area around the limb.

The principles of treatment for both weevers and scorpion fishes is quite the same and therefore will be dealt with at this stage. These consist of:

a) Alleviation of pain.
b) Counteracting allergic manifestations, and
c) Prevention of secondary infections.

One has first to explain that as soon as he is stung, the victim experiences a sharp prick-like sensation as Arti2 explained above which immediately starts increasing in severity-totally unlike a prick say with an ordinary sewing needle. The pain moreover starts spreading proximally along the limb. In the same way as allergic stings, a red swelling appears in the area involved. Depending on the amount of poison delivered by the fish, general manifestation can also occur in the form of rapid pulse beat, sweating, general malaise and even collapse. At times pain is also felt across the chest - reminescent of heart pain. It is known that the poison is toxic both to the heart muscles and to the nervous tissues. To alleviate pain quickly once you reach ashore/unless on onshore allready & visit a qualified physician.They can threat the puncture wound immidiately and infiltrate around it. Allergic manifestations are dealt with the usual antihistaminic drugs. In my experience the injection always given immediate relief, which is long lasting. The patient is encouraged to walk and take full normal activities. Cleaning the area with acriflavine and spirit beforehand and applying a simple elastoplast dressing helps to prevent secondary infection. A further course of antihistamies in tablet form for five days helps to counteract the allergic swellings. If the allergy is very pronounced corticosteroids should also be considered. It is obvious that such treatment should be done under the supervision of a qualified physician. ;)

I would like to add another hazardous fish to the list. its the puffer fish. its doesn't sting but if eaten it is extremly poisonous, it is lethal. it is mostly caught while bottom fishing from the boat.  it isn't an indienous fish but it is beccomming very common due to tropicalization (the rise in temperature of our sea).  in some areas it has become very common and every time i go i catch one or too, so be careful, you may catch puffer fish too!!

Guys you are forgetting the Sting Ray aswell. Its sting can be lethal if not treated immediatly at hospital. And they are very common in our waters even in very shallow depths especially in sandy areas

Really we should add the sting ray it's common in our seas.Good point bigboy.

Also don't forget the Busuf. I stepped on one last summer and my foot was burning very badly.

You can also add the (''cippullazza'' ''Red Scorpionfish'') Wich is quite commin in our seas and too has spikes under its dorsal fins and on its back wich are poisonis.

Tatanka are you a nurse or something like that because i can see that you are using technical words in your explanation reagding the stingray!

Quote from: Diplodus Sargus on November 23, 2008, 14:02:46 CET
Tatanka are you a nurse or something like that because i can see that you are using technical words in your explanation reagding the stingray!

Dipolus sargus no I am not a nurse & niether work in healthcare  ;). Unfortunatly I went through the pain  :'( when my brother in law was fishing with me and he had hooked a double weever (Tracna) & they were a very nice size. He was new at fishing & I had allready warned him before we dropped the hooks in the sea with the possibility of catching a Tracna  & to not bring it on the boat without warning. Anyway he was too excited as they were giving him a fight so he brought them on board ,they landed just beside my feet & one hit my back apart from the third hook also in the shoulder. So that is why I mentioned the medical traetment if not sure about any tech words in the post do not worry let me know & i will help.

Hmmmm  ???  you mentioned stingray! The post was for the weever & scorpion fish. Altough I would imagine it would be similar treatment for the stingray. 

Scorpionfish.

The scorpionfish are a family (Scorpaenidae) of mostly marine fish that includes many of the world's most venomous species. As the name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venomous mucus.

The family is a large one, with hundreds of members. But there are five species that are commonly encountered or caught in maltese waters.

General characteristics of family members include a compressed body, ridges and/or spines on the head, one or two spines on the operculum, and three to five spines on the preopercle. The dorsal fin will have 11 to 17 spines, often long and separated from each other, and the pectoral fins will be well-developed, with 11 to 25 rays. The spines of the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins all have venom glands at their bases.


Most species are bottom-dwellers that feed on crustaceans and smaller fish. Most species inhabit shallow waters, but a few live as deep as 2,200 metres (7,200 ft).
Most Scorpionfish,  wait in disguise for prey to pass them by before swallowing. Scorpionfish feed by opening their mouth, then their gills a fraction of a second apart, creating suction.

Although it hurts being stung by a scorpionfish ,the venom loses its effect after some hours. However it depends on how a person is stung. On rare occasions spines can split under the skin.
While catching them (fishing and spearfishing) it is better to hold them by their mouth.
The following are some species encountered in our waters.

Maltese:-Skorfna Sewda
English:-Black Scorpionfish
Italian:-Scorfano Nero
Latin:-Scorpaena porcus


This small-scaled scorpion fish possesses over 60 very minute scales on the lateral line. Above each eye there is a developed tentacle. The second to fifth dorsal spines are nearly equal and the abdominal ray is as long as the second dorsal or even slightly longer. The colour is bright / grey and blotched heavily and irregularly with black. The abdomen is greyish. The length is from 15 to 25 cms.

It is common among rocks and algae. Feeds on small fishes (gobies, blennies), crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Maltese:-Skorfna Hamra, Cippullazza.
English:-Largescaled Scorpionfish
Italian:-Scorfanetto Rosso
Latin:-Scorpaena scrofa


This fish is known as the large-scaled scorpion fish because it has up to 45 large scales on the lateral line. The head is proportionally quite big. The third spine of the ventral anal fin is longer than the third. The colour varies from bright red to reddish / brown. The dorsal rays often show black blotches and it is these spines which usually contain the integumentary venom spinal glands. They have to be handled with extreme case. Their size varies between 25 and 50 cms.
It is solitary and sedentary over rocky, sandy or muddy bottoms. Feeds on fishes, crustaceans and mollusks.

Maltese:-Skorfna Tat-Tebgha
English:-Small Red Scorpionfish
Italian:-Scorfanotto
Latin:-Scorpaena notata


This fish is very similar to Scorpoena porcus but it is rather smaller in size, 10 to 15 cms. It is of a reddish colour. The orbital tentacles are reduced or completely wanting. The fourth spine of the dorsal ray is longer than the rest.
It is found commonly in rocky littoral habitats. Feeds on crustaceans and small fishes.

Maltese:-Skorfna Tal-Madejra
English:-Madeira Rockfish
Italian:-Scorfanetto Squamoso
Latin:-Scorpaena maderensis


This fish has the same characteristics of S.Porcus except for slightly bigger scales. The lenght is from 10 - 14cm. It inhabits shallow coastal waters and feeds on crustaceans and small fishes.

Maltese:-Cippullazza Ta' L-ghajn
English:-Blackbelly Rosefish
Italian:-Scorfano Di Fondale
Latin:-Helicolenus dactylopterus


This fish looks very much like the comber fish (serranus cabrilla). The head is however scaly and lacks the quadrangular depression in the occiput which is characteristic of the scorpion fishes already dealt with above. It is red in colour, and lives in deep waters of about 200 to 500 metres. The maximum length reached is between 20 and 40 cms.


It lives in sandy and muddy bottoms and feeds on crustaceans, small fish and molluscs.

Quote from: Tatanka on November 23, 2008, 17:47:31 CET

Quote from: Diplodus Sargus on November 23, 2008, 14:02:46 CET
Tatanka are you a nurse or something like that because i can see that you are using technical words in your explanation reagding the stingray!

Dipolus sargus no I am not a nurse & niether work in healthcare  ;). Unfortunatly I went through the pain  :'( when my brother in law was fishing with me and he had hooked a double weever (Tracna) & they were a very nice size. He was new at fishing & I had allready warned him before we dropped the hooks in the sea with the possibility of catching a Tracna  & to not bring it on the boat without warning. Anyway he was too excited as they were giving him a fight so he brought them on board ,they landed just beside my feet & one hit my back apart from the third hook also in the shoulder. So that is why I mentioned the medical traetment if not sure about any tech words in the post do not worry let me know & i will help.

Hmmmm  ???  you mentioned stingray! The post was for the weever & scorpion fish. Altough I would imagine it would be similar treatment for the stingray. 

No just asking you because im a nurse and when i saw the treatment i taught that you were in the job as well.  In fact one time when i was with my grandfather fishing from the boat i ve got a weever and it hit me on my hand. Believe me it is very painful. In such cases go immediately to the nearest health centre to seek for help cause these fish can be very dangerous especially if the victim is a diabetic or has some kind of circulatory problems. It will be infected very easy. In some cases the victim has to take a tetanus toxoid injection but it depends on the case and the fish and also from were it is caught.

In my case the only thing i did was some white spirit and some ice on the infected area. I heard fisherman also say that these kind of fish are more venomous when they are small then when they are big....i dont know but what s for sure is that it burns like hell!

An old fisherman's remedy is that if you're on a boat and get stung by a weever, urinate as soon as possible on the affected area, probably to disinfect it.  I don't know if this info is correct or not, I have never been stung yet (and don't plan on trying it out!!!) :-\ :-\

Actually for jellyfish stings I use a credit card to scrape away the small sting frills left by the jellyfish and wash away with white vinegar.  Best remedy, tried and proven!!

Guys as many know i go fishing using gill nets. We always catch skorfon / cippollazz and im telling you i get stung around 20 times each time from the bastards. Actually it stings for a couple of minutes but then its over. I never put any hot water or anything on it. So they are not harmful. (If they were i should have been killed ages ago haha)

Hot water is recommended for weevers only but maybe even for scorpionfish is good.
Guys this topic is about hazardous fish I think for jelly and other things such as fireworn (busuf) it's better to start a new topic. Even sea urchins sometimes can be of some hazard.

I think its better we see all the fish here and open a topic where to talk about these fish. This would be a reference topic only.

Stingrays.

A great many species of rays are harmless apart from their excessive size which might even capsize a small boat. A few species of rays are however equipped on their tail with stinging spines, hence the name stingray.

The stingarys have wide, rounded pectoral forming the body disc. Their hind end tapers into a long, whip-like tail with no dorsal and caudal fins. Just behind the origin of the tail stalk they have a lon barbed spine with venom-secreting tissue on the lower side.

Sometimes there are also one or two replacement spines close to the main dagger-like barb. Whenever the tail is lashed around violently in retaliation, the spine is driven into the body of the offending predator and the ray manages to get away in the panic that this causes. Stingrays are bottom dwellers and often lie partially buried in sand awaiting suitable prey to approach on its own, but they can also perform bursts of powerful swimming action when necessary.

The flesh of stingrays is edible, but rather poor in taste unless it is enriched with the right herbs and spices.

Stingrays are propelled by motion of their large pectoral fins (commonly mistaken as "wings"). Their stinger is a razor-sharp, barbed, or serrated cartilaginous spine which grows from the ray's whip-like tail (like a fingernail), and can grow as long as 37 cm (about 14.6 inches). On the underside of the spine are two grooves containing venom-secreting glandular tissue. The entire spine is covered with a thin layer of skin called the integumentary sheath, in which venom is concentrated. The venom contains the enzymes 5-nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase which breakdown and kill cells; and the neurotransmitter serotonin which provokes smooth-muscle contractions.This gives them their common name of stingrays (a compound of "sting" and "ray") but the name can also be used to refer to any poisonous ray.

There are three species of stingray that can be caught in our sea.

Maltese:-Boll Vjola
English:-Pelagic stingray
Italian:-Trigone Viola
Latin:-Pteroplatytrygon violacea




The pelagic stingray is distinguished by a broad, wedge-shaped pectoral fin disc, wider than it is long, with a broadly rounded anterior margin and snout. The eyes are small and do not protrude below the body. The tail is whip-like and longer than the disc, with a long lower caudal fin fold ending far in front of the tail tip. There is no upper fin fold or dorsal thorns. The tail has a single, extremely long, venomous stinging spine. Its teeth have a single pointed cusp, numbering 25-34 files in the upper jaw and 25-31 files in the lower, and are sexually dimorphic with the teeth of the male being longer and sharper. Unlike most stingrays, the teeth of the pelagic stingray are adapted for cutting, not crushing. There is a row of 10-12 fleshy papillae on the bottom of the mouth. Large individuals are covered with dermal denticles dorsally but not ventrally; this species has three distinct types of denticles. The coloration is a uniform dark purple to blue-green above, and slightly lighter to lead grey below. Some accounts describe a thick black mucus covering the body, which is exuded as a result of handling after capture.The maximum recorded sizes are from a captive growth experiment conducted from 1995-2000, in which a male grew to 68 cm across and 12 kg, and a female to 94 cm across and 49 kg.
The maximum known length is 160 cm.


Pelagic stingrays are active predators, sometimes moving prey into their mouths with their pectoral fins. Their diet is composed primarily of planktonic euphausiids and amphipods, while they also take jellyfish, squid, octopus, shrimp, and small bony fish such as herring and mackerel.

Generally, pelagic stingrays are of little commercial value; their meat and cartilage is sometimes utilized. They are often caught as by-catch of pelagic tuna (and shark) longlines and gillnets, as well as in purse-seines and bottom trawls.The species is evaluated as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although it is yet unclear whether the positive trend in its numbers results from an actual increase in its abundance or the discovery of new populations. The long, serrated spine of this stingray is potentially dangerous to humans. There are at least two fatalities attributed to this species: one case in which a crewman aboard a longline tuna boat was impaled by a stingray that had been brought aboard, and another case where a crewman died from tetanus several days after being stung.

Maltese:-Boll Komuni
English:-Common Stingray
Italian:-Pastinaca (Traona)
Latin:-Dasyatis pastinaca


This fish is nearly quadranglar in shape, in front it is pointed and posteriorly more round, here it tapers into a tail which is as long as the whole body. The tail is equipped in its middle aspect with a prominent serrated poisonous spine. Its skin is smooth and of a dark / green colour or even near black on its dorsum, whilst wadling in the shallow surf.
It can be found over sandy and muddy bottoms, sometimes in estuaries and near rocky reefs. Feeds on bottom fishes, crustaceans and mollusks. and is ovoviviparous, gestation period about 4 months and 4-7 young are produced.


It swims gently just above sea-bed or lies flat sometimes partially buried, in shallows and down to 100m. It is quiet common and easily caught, especially while spearfishing.
It is dangerous to bathers and fishers due to its poisonous spine. If disturbed it attacks with its spine. The barbed poison spine is a modified denticle that can be 35cm long, shed occasionally and replaced. It can reach a lenght of 250cm and width of 140cm.

Maltese:-Boll Denbu Ahrax
English:-Roughtail stingray
Italian:-Trigone Spinoso
Latin:-Dasyatis centroura


It is very similar to D.pastinaca. This fish is sub-quadrangular with strongly sinuous former edges, blunt snout. This stingray has a large size and spacing of mid-dorsal bucklers, conspicuous tubercles on the outer parts of disc . The tail has numerous rows of small spines. The ventral finfold is long, but quite low, not easily seen, dorsal finfold absent . Its colour is olive brown above, white or nearly below. Lower surface white and without dark edgings. It is rarely caught.

Moray eels.

Moray eels have the ordinary snake-like body shape . They have a small head with tiny eyes set well in front and huge jaws lined with razor-sharp pointed teeth. It uses these teeth to tear flesh from its prey (generally making a rotating movement) and then swallow using an internal jaw called Pharyngeal jaw. This jaw helps to swallow by moving from the outside to the inside. Morays have no scales and both pelvic and pectoral fins are absent. The dorsal fin starts at the nape and is continous with the caudal and anal fins. Moray eels are often brightly coloured and boldly patterned, especially the tropical species. These fish live on rocky bottoms, hiding in crevices, large stones and in wrecks. They feed mostly by night on crustaceans, most fish but their favourite food seems to be octopus tentacles.


Maltese:-Morina
English:-Moray Eel
Italian:-Murena
Latin:-Muraena helena


M.helena has a classical eel-like body, cylindrical in cross-section, except for the tail which is laterally compressed. It has a small head with a pointed snout and large powerful jaws. It has a slimy thick skin with no scales and a single  black gill opening on each side of the head.

Its colour is dark brown, with a varied mottling of cream or yellow, finer and irregular anteriorly, becoming more regular and heavy towards the tail.


The moray eel is quiet common amongst rocks on broken seabeds, even in the shallows. It spends most time hidden in crevices with only its head showing, gasping repeatedly with partially open mouth. Occasionally it comes out of its lair looking for something to eat.

When it bites it does not easily let go. It can grow up to one or two metres. Its blood when fresh can produce toxic symptoms both in animals and human beings. Its bite can also produce toxic manifestations and can take quite a few days to heal. When cooked up to 75 degrees Celcius the toxin looses its poisonous properties. It is quite a delicious fish to eat when cooked. When caught alive fishermen treat it with utmost care. They kill it quickly with a decisive blow to its head to concuss and exterminate it, thus avoiding its vicious bite.

Another rare moray eel is the brown moray eel.

Maltese:-Morina Kannella
English:-Brown Moray
Italian:-Murena Nera
Latin:-Gymnothorax unicolor


It is very similar to M.Helena but much less common. It is uniformly dark or reddish-brown in colour with fins having paler edges.

Well done Arti2 for sharing such amazing information with us  ;)

Rabbitfishes or Spinefoots

The Spinefoots are found mainly in tropical Indian and Pacific oceans. Only one specimen occurs in the Mediterranean, mainly in the east. Most of the members of this group (Siganidae) have a laterally compressed body, sloping at the front of the head to a rounded blunt snout. Most have a single, forward pointing spine at the origin of the dorsal fin (somewhat like a unicorn). This fin has also thirteen other sharp spines anteriorly, and a lobed soft rayed section at the back. The anal fin has 7 spines and 9 soft rays behind.Their pelvic fins, which are formed from two spines, with 3 soft rays between them. The spines are strong and pointed to inflict painful wounds and are loaded with venomous mucus. This species in this family are reef fishes and feed mainly on algae.


Rabbitfishes grow to about 40 cm and have small, rabbit-like mouths, large dark eyes, and a shy temperament which gives them their name; the scientific name Siganus is simply the Latin term by which Mediterranean rabbitfishes were known in Ancient Rome. Most species have either bright colors or a complex and interesting pattern.

All rabbitfish are diurnal (active by day and rest at night) , some live in schools, while others live more solitary.   Many are fished for food, and the more colorful species ? especially the foxfishes ? are often kept in aquaria. Care must be taken during aquarium maintenance and cleaning, as rabbitfishes are often easily frightened and will use their poisonous spines in defence. Their poison is not life-threatening to adult humans, but is likely to cause severe pain.

Recntly two types of spinefoots can be seen in our waters. These are the following:

Maltese:-Qawsalla
English:-Marbled Spinefoot
Italian:-N/A
Latin:-Siganus rivulatus


The body of the S.rivulatus is ovoid and deep, compressed laterally. It has a good-sized head with cospicous eyes and a small mouth. This spinefoot has a single long dorsal fin starting with a free forward pointing spine, then 13 poisonous webbed spines, and 9 to 11 soft branching rays at the hind end. The pectoral and pelvic fins are short and rounded. The anal fin is about half as long as the dorsal fin, half spiny and half rayed. The caudal fin is partially forked with a slender tail stalk. The coloration is variable and light, from brown to purple, with irregular hazy patches on the flanks and a pale underside. Frightened fish become mottled or with 6 diagonal zones across side.

It inhabits shallow waters and generally in schools of 50 to several hundred individuals; prefers protected areas. Feeds by grazing on algae.


This new species lives at edges of reefs with broken seabeds and feeds mainly on algae. Today it is becoming very common. It reached the Mediterranean from the Red sea through the Suez Canal and is steadily spreading westwards. It is common to see them schooling with the Parrot Fish Sparisoma cretense (Marzpan). Fisherman occasionally find it entangled in their trammel nets (pariti), but it has no real food value. Maximum size 27cm.

Maltese:-No Name
English:-Dusky Spinefoot
Italian:-No Name
Latin:-Siganus luridus


It has exactly the same characteristics as S.rivulatus except it has a variable cheek scalationand a midline of thorax devoid of scales between the pelvic ridges.
It can be found in small schools in very shallow water close to the bottom but prefers hard bottoms of compacted sand with rock.


This spinefoot like the other may suddenly stop and erect its fins (dorsal, anal and pelvic) presenting an encircling array of spined to potential predators; these spines are venomous. It is a food fish that is occasionally poisonous. Maximum size 30cm.

maltese name is qawsalla

I checked on the net and it appears that the Dusky Spinefoot (Siganus luridus) does not have a common Maltese name. That's why I did not put any name.
I checked here:

http://data.gbif.org/species/13544993/commonName/Dusky%20spinefoot
and here:

http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNameSummary.cfm?autoctr=142829

While the Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) does have a Maltese name.

http://data.gbif.org/species/13553305/commonName/Marbled%20spinefoot

http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNameSummary.cfm?autoctr=117328

But sometimes as these two look similar both of them are called the same.

Wow arti.
That's quite an effort.
Very good information.
Well done.

I agree with SimonG, we call that fish Qawsalla. Hope I will never catch one cause if it stings me I will modify the first 4 letter of it's name :-X ::)