Reef Fish

Reef Stonefish

Synanceia verrucosa · Bony fish, family Synanceiidae (stonefishes), often treated within the scorpionfish lineage

Nothing on the reef rewards good buoyancy like the reef stonefish, because the price of touching the bottom carelessly is written into its anatomy: thirteen dorsal spines, each seated over venom glands that inject under pressure when pressed. It is the most dangerous venomous fish a diver routinely shares water with: envenomation means immediate, severe pain and a trip to hospital, though deaths are very rare and an antivenom exists in Australia. The animal itself is a masterpiece of not being there, a warty, algae-crusted lump that buries into sand or molds against coral for weeks at a stretch, lunging only when prey passes. Divers almost never spot one unaided. Treat every unexamined rock as spoken for: stay off the bottom, never brace a hand blind, and save the close inspection for after the guide points.