Cippullazza, the scorpionfish (scorfano), are a family 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.^[1] They are widespread in tropical and temperate seas, but mostly found in the Indo-Pacific. They should not be confused with the cabezones, of the genus Scorpaenichthys, which belong to a separate, though related family, Cottidae.

There are two major kinds of scorpion fish in the Mediterranean: Black, which tend to be smaller (max length 10 inches, or 25 cm), and the red pictured here, which can approach 2 feet (60 cm). All are quite spiny, and as a result smaller scorpion fish are used mostly in fish stews along the lines of cacciucco or brodetto.

Larger scorpion fish are just as spiny, but have enough firm tasty white flesh to make cooking them individually a viable proposition, and they make for a dramatic presentation if left whole.