Synanceiinae

Synanceiidae
Stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Scorpaeniformes
Family:	Synanceiidae Nelson, 1994
Genera and species
See text.

Synanceiidae is a family of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish, found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are primarily marine, though some species are known to live in fresh or brackish. The various species of this family are known informally as stonefish, stinger, stingfish and ghouls. The most prominent genus of the family is Synanceia Bloch & Schneider, which is sometimes placed in the Scorpaenidae family. Its species are known to have the most potent neurotoxins of all the fish venoms, secreted from glands at the base of their needle-like dorsal fin spines. The vernacular name of the species derives from their behaviour of camouflaging as rocks. The type species of the family is the stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa.

Genera and species

• Genus Choridactylus
• Genus Erosa
  • Erosa erosa Pitted stonefish
• Genus Inimicus
  • Inimicus filamentosus Two-stick stingfish
  • Inimicus sinensis Spotted ghoul
• Genus Leptosynanceia
• Genus Minous
• Genus Pseudosynanceia
• Genus Synanceia
  • Synanceia verrucosa Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Reef stonefish,
  • Synanceia horrida, Estuary stonefish
  • Synanceia nana, Red Sea stonefish
• Genus Trachicephalus

References

• FishBase entry