Scientific Name
Scatophagus argus  
Pronounce  
 Scatophagus argus金錢魚
by: ChingYi Chen, Nian-Hong Jang-Liaw
Author (Linnaeus, 1766) Depth 1 - 10M
Chinese 金錢魚 Poisonous Fish Yes 
Family_Chinese 金錢魚科 Economic Fish Yes 
Family F466　Scatophagidae Edible Fish Yes  Chinese In Mainland China 金錢魚 
Max Length 38 cm  Aquarium Fish Yes  Common Name 變身苦、遍身苦(澎湖)、金鼓 
Distribution in World India Ocean to Pacific Ocean   Distribution in Taiwan East、West、South、South West、North、North East、PonFu、ShaoLiuChew 
Habitats Coral、Benthos、Estuary、Coastal、
Lagoon 		 Holotype Locality India 
Synonyms Chaetodon argus, Chaetodon atromaculatus, Chaetodon pairatalis, Ephippus argus, Sargus maculatus, Scatophagus aetatevarians, Scatophagus argus argus, Scatophagus argus ocellata, Scatophagus bougainvillii, Scatophagus ornatus, Scatophagus purpurascens, Scatophagus quadranus, Scatophagus quadratus ...all 13..  
Reference 台灣淡水及河口魚圖鑑(周及高，2011)  沈世傑 編 Shih-Chieh Shen ed. 1993 
Specimen List ASIZP0056772. ASIZP0057043. ASIZP0058772. ASIZP0059269. ASIZP0059587. ASIZP0059775. ASIZP0060044. ASIZP0060236. ASIZP0062873. ASIZP0063535. ASIZP0064692. ASIZP0064823. ASIZP0064909. ASIZP0064911. ASIZP0068687. ASIZP0068696. ASIZP0068701. ASIZP0068702. ASIZP0068703. ASIZP0071959. ASIZP0071993. ASIZP0072007. ASIZP0074979. ASIZP0075487. ASIZP0075872. ASIZP0076224. ASIZP0076228. ASIZP0076282. ASIZP0076283. ASIZP0076345. ASIZP0076346. ASIZP0076703. ASIZP0076743. ASIZP0077483. ASIZP0077484. ASIZP0077600. ASIZP0078071. ...List all 72 records... 
Barcode2011-06-13,柯慧玲,CO1,100% 2011-06-13,柯慧玲,CO1,100% 2015-11-01,Yu-Ming Shih,CO1,100%
Common Name Scat; Spotted scad; Spotted butter fish; Spotted butt; Spotted scat; Spotted butterfish; Argus fish; Butterfish; Common scat; Leopard scat 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body quadrangular, strongly compressed. Dorsal head profile steep. Eye moderately large. Snout rounded. Mouth small. Teeth villiform, in several rows on jaws. Dorsal fin with XI spines and 16 to 18 soft rays; a deep notch between spinous and soft parts of dorsal fin; anal fin with IV spines and 14 or 15 soft rays; caudal fin from rounded to truncate or slightly emarginate. Head, body, caudal fin, and soft parts of anal and dorsal fins covered with small ctenoid scales. Body ground colour greenish; juveniles with a few large roundish blotches, about size of eye, or with about 5 or 6 broad, dark, vertical bars; specimens above about 4 cm standard length with black spots, usually smaller than eye, more or less arranged in vertical rows; in large adults, spots may be faint and restricted to dorsal part of flanks.
habitats Inhabit harbors, natural embayments, brackish estuaries and the lower reaches of freshwater streams, frequently occurring among mangroves. Feed on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. The dorsal, anal and pelvic spines are believed by Philippine  
Distribution Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific from southern India and Sri Lanka to southern Japan and Tahiti. It is a common species in Taiwan, especially in weastern part. 
Utility Marketed as fresh. Used in Chinese medicine. In Hong Kong live fish markets.