Estuarine Stonefish
Synanceia horrida
This fearsome looking and highly camouflaged stonefish is one of the most venomous fishes in the world. The sting of a stonefish is excruciatingly painful and potentially fatal if left untreated. Stings can be effectively treated by immersion of the wound in hot water (no hotter than 45°C) or by administration of an antivenom. The Estuarine Stonefish has variable colouration from brownish to reddish-orange allowing it to blend seamlessly into its rocky habitat.
Morphology
The rotund body (reaching up to about 50 cm in length) covered in warty protuberances gives this fish a remarkable resemblance to a stone or piece of coral. The erectile, needle-sharp dorsal spines, which contain the venom, and the gaping upturned mouth are also distinctive.
Evolution
Stonefishes are a small family (Synanceiidae) containing only five species, belonging to the diverse order of fishes Scorpaeniformes, which also contains the lionfishes, scorpionfishes and waspfishes.
Behaviour
A solitary species that lies motionless on the bottom, often partially buried in sand, waiting to ambush passing prey (fishes and crustaceans). More active at night than during daylight hours. The stonefish is an extremely hardy species that is capable of surviving up to 24 hours out of water.
Method of reproduction
Sexual. No details are known of the reproductive biology.
Habitat
Marine/Estaurine
Occurs on sandy, muddy or silty bottoms in marine and estuarine waters usually around the cover of rocks, from shallow tide pools down to depths of 40 m.
Distribution
Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, from India to Australia and northwards to China.
Life Cycle
Oviparous
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family: | Synanceiidae |
| Subfamily: | Synanceiinae |
| Genus: | Synanceia |
| Species: | horrida |
| Name Published Year: | 1766 |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name Authorship: | Linneaus |
| Commercial Impact: | None |
| Conservation Assessment: | Least Concern |
Cite this page
Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/synanceia-horrida
Accessed 24 Apr 2025
Rights
We support the open release of data and information about our collections.
Text content on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Image content on this page is copyright WA Museum.