Scorpaena plumieri was first formally described in 1789 by the German physician and naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch with the type locality given as Martinique.

The color of this species varies from brown to black with a light background, the areas before the caudal fin are abruptly paler.

[5] It inhabits the western Atlantic Ocean, from Bermuda to Massachusetts, and from the northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil.

They inhabit shallow coral reefs and rocky areas, moderately common from 5–55 metres (16–180 ft) deep.

[5] Scorpionfish use a tactic of kinematic timing [6] which is a type of technique used to fixate on prey and their general position based on the hinter's body.

The venom has hemorrhagic, hemolytic and proteolytic activities and contains cardiotoxins, which cause a drop in blood pressure, and heart and respiratory rate.

Other symptoms include adenopathy, nausea, vomiting, agitation, malaise, sweating, tachycardia, arrhythmias, difficulty breathing and severe hypotension.