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Stonefish

Synanceia verrucosa

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth0–18 m
  • Water temperature21–30 °C
  • Best monthsApril, June, and October
  • How commonOccasional
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About this species

Synanceia verrucosa, the reef stonefish, is a species of venomous, marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae, which is classified as being within the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. It is the most widespread species of stonefish, mostly found in shallow waters of the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific. It possesses highly effective venom that can kill humans. It is the type species of Synanceia.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Synanceia verrucosa”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 9 records
  • February: 5 records
  • March: 7 records
  • April: 11 records
  • May: 10 records
  • June: 11 records
  • July: 11 records
  • August: 5 records
  • September: 9 records
  • October: 12 records
  • November: 5 records
  • December: 7 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–18 m · Deepest record: 100 m

  • 0–10 m: 41 records
  • 10–20 m: 3 records
  • 20–30 m: 2 records
  • 30–40 m: 0 records
  • 40–50 m: 0 records
  • 50–60 m: 0 records
  • 60–70 m: 1 records
  • 70–80 m: 0 records
  • 80–90 m: 0 records
  • 90–100 m: 0 records
  • 100–110 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 21–30 °C

  • 20–22 °C: 1 records
  • 22–24 °C: 12 records
  • 24–26 °C: 15 records
  • 26–28 °C: 71 records
  • 28–30 °C: 73 records

Names and classification

English
Stonefish, Reef Stonefish, stonefish
Names in 6 more languages
German
Echter Steinfisch, Steinfisch
Spanish
Pez Piedra Común
French
Crapaud, Poisson-pierre, Poisson-pierre commun, Poisson pierre commun, Poisson-pierre, Synancée, Poisson pierre, Synancée verruqueuse, Synancée
Japanese
Onidarumaokoze, オニダルマオコゼ
Thai
ปลาหิน
Simplified Chinese
合笑, 拗豬頭, 沙薑鱠仔, 玫瑰毒鮋, 玫瑰毒鲉, 石頭魚, 腫瘤毒鮋, 虎魚

Other scientific names: Scorpaena brachion, Synaceia verrucosa, Synanceia brachio, Synanceia thersites, Synanceichthys verrucosa, Synanceichthys verrucosus, Synanceja verrucosa, Synancejia verrucosa, Synancia verrucosa

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 436 open-data records from 1801 to 2023.

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