Reef Stonefish Synanceia verrucosa

Stonefish are the most venomous marine fish and the Reef Stonefish, often called just the Stonefish, is the most venomous of all. It is so well camouflaged as a stone or rock while waiting to ambush passing fish/crustaceans, that it could be stepped on accidentally by a human and venom from its spines could prove fatal. It is native to mainly tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.

Stonefish are stone-coloured with rough texture and with patches of red, yellow, green or purple to blend perfectly with their surroundings. They can grow to over 40cm long.