Sex Differences and Sex Identification in the Small-Scaled Scorpionfish, Scorpaena Porcus (Scorpaenidae, Scorpaeniformes)

Sex differences and the ability to determine the sex of Scorpaena porcus (Linnaeus, 1758) on morphological characters were studied in the population inhabiting coastal waters of the Black Sea near the southern coast of Crimea. These differences were revealed in size (females are larger than males) and in proportions of the body. It is found that variation of the absolute and relative values in plastic characters is higher in females compared with males. It is shown that in 92 % of individuals belonging to S. porcus we can determine the sex using morphological characters with a probability of 99.9-100 %.