scorpion fish mainly of the genus Scorpaena, occur all round the world, but it is in the Mediterranean and especially in Provence that they have achieved fame, mainly as an essential ingredient for bouillabaisse. One of their number, S. scrofa, the largest (maximum length 55 cm/22"), is the rascasse rouge or (in the Midi) chapon; ideal for this purpose when small. It presents the formidable aspect which is characteristic of scorpion fish, mitigated perhaps by its cheerful red colour. Although it is considered to be an archetypal Mediterranean species, its range extends into the Atlantic, as far north as Brittany.
