Synanceiidae

Synanceiidae
Temporal range:
Southern velvetfish (Aploactisoma milesii)
Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Scorpaenoidei
Family:
Swainson, 1839
Genera

See text

Synanceiidae[1], the stonefishes, are a family of ray-finned fish in the order Perciformes, found in the Indo-Pacific region. They are close relatives of the scorpionfishes, with both placed in the suborder Scorpaenoidei. Many members of this family, most famously the subfamily Synanceiinae, are venomous.[2][3] A majority of species in this family are marine, but some such as Notesthes robusta inhabit freshwater habitats.

All synanceiids share the unique defense mechanism of a "lachrymal saber", a switchblade-like spine found under each eye (being attached to the lachrymal bone) that can be projected forwards via movement of the maxilla.[1][4]

Taxonomy

Some members of this family, such as the unusual Gnathanacanthinae and Eschmeyerinae, were formerly treated as their own distinct families, while the Synanceiinae themselves were treated as a subfamily of the Scorpaenidae. However, phylogenetic evidence suggests that all these clades are closely related to one another, and Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes presently treats them as subfamilies of the family Synanceiidae.[1][3]

Red velvetfish (Gnathanacanthus goetzi)
Warty prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus)

The following genera are classified in this family, based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Smith, W. Leo; Smith, Elizabeth; Richardson, Clara (February 2018). "Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Sea Robins, and Stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the Evolution of the Lachrymal Saber". Copeia. 106 (1): 94–119. doi:10.1643/CG-17-669.
  2. ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Synanceiidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  4. ^ "Discovery of switchblade-like defensive system redraws family tree of stonefishes". KU News. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
  5. ^ Near, Thomas J.; Thacker, Christine E. (2024-04-18). "Phylogenetic Classification of Living and Fossil Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii)". Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 65 (1). doi:10.3374/014.065.0101. ISSN 0079-032X.
  6. ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
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