Order:  Scorpaeniformes 

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Inhabiting all tropical and most subtropical seas the family Scorpaenida represents a large array of fishes including stonefish, leaf fish, velvet fish, waspfish, lionfish, crocodilefish, and scorpionfish which are all featured on this site.

Most are benthic creatures and rarely swim, all of them possess venomous spines of varying potency.

They lay eggs of jelly like masses which are pelagic and float to the waters surface. Once hatched the juveniles spend many months in the water column slowly descending to the bottom where they grow into ferocious sit and wait predators feeding on fish and crustaceans. 

Common characteristics of Scorpaeniformes include large head and mouth in relation to the rest of their body and armour like ridges around the cheek, as displayed left.

They also possess venomous spines along the dorsal and anal fins, as seen right. Each has two venom sacks at the base which are squeezed together when contact is made, thus injecting the poison. The more spines that make contact - the more venom is received.


The sting of a Stonefish can be fatal as their venom is the most potent, other species are generally not life threatening but excruciatingly painful.

We were once witness to a catfish impalement through a scuba boot. At the time we were 600k from the nearest medical facility (a situation many divers find themselves in), fortunately we knew to treat the wound with heat to break down the protein.





We submerged the foot in hot water which was effective providing slow relief. However for three days the victim was in excruciating pain which eased but did not dissapear for weeks.

The recommended treatment for such wounds is to seek professional medical assistance as some require intensive care.

Once a Scorpaeniforme is discovered, which can be difficult due to their cryptic appearance, they make good photo subjects. Unless provoked they are not particularly bothered by divers and will remain present and stationary.



 
Family: Scorpaenidae
Species: Taenianotus triacanthus - Leaf Scorpionfish or Paper Scorpionfish
With an unusually thin compressed appearance and foot like pectoral fins which it will use for support and mobility, they gently sway in the surge like a dead leaf.

Notice their relatively small mouth compared to other members of the Scorpaeniformes order. This species is perfectly camouflaged to its surroundings often showing algae growth to match its environment.

They exist in a variety of colours including yellow, white, brown, pink and tones of reds.

An ambush predator, generally perching itself on coral heads or lying on the substrate feeding on crustaceans or fish.

They will usually stay in the vicinity of the same location for many months and often if you find one there will be another one or two fairly close by.

Their distribution is widespread throughout tropical oceans and they grow to approximately 11cm in size. Always a joy to see during any dive.



 
Family Tetrarogidae. 
Species: Ablabys taenianoyus - Cockatoo Wasp Fish or Leaf Fish

A cousin to the leaf scorpionfish and up to 15cm in size. Although unlike its cousin they are usually brown in colour.

Quite easily recognized by the long sail like dorsal fin which originates above the eyes illustrated right.

Found on sand and mud slopes usually associated with areas close to deep water.

Favoring crustaceans like shrimp it will rarely leave the substrate.
 
 





Family Aploactinidae.
Species: Paraploactis kagoshimensis - Phantom Velvet Fish

This species is poorly understood probably because it is rarely seen due to its cryptic appearance and preferred habitat among vegetation, or rocky, shelly, coral rubble, or coralline algae substrata, area's where previously few divers would visit.

However with "Muck" diving becoming more popular divers are now finding weird and wonderful creatures such as the velvet fish.

The fish has a mixture of appearence between the elongated body of wasp fish and chunkiness of the scorpion fish, all three are related.
The head has numerous bony ridges and blunt spines and often shows algae growth to match its environment, as do most Scorpaeniformes.

Amazingly this is a fish that can not swim as they have evolved without a gas bladder making them negatively buoyant. In actual fact the first time we saw one we thought it to be dying as it swayed uncomfortably among bottom debris. 

The sand in our images is much lighter than that in parts of Indonesia where this fish can somtimes be encountered, interestingly the creature is also much lighter as it blends with its surrounding environment.