Venomous Fishes Gallery

Images of venomous fishes and their associated envenomed structures. Leo Smith's research program on the evolution of venomous fishes has shown that the number of fish species believed to be venomous has jumped from 200 to over 3,000, making fishes the dominant group of venomous vertebrates.

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Stonefish Spines

Macro image of the venomous dorsal-fin spine of the world's most venomous fish, the stonefish (Synanceia). The brown sacks along the bony spines hold the venom that is delivered through a hollow fin spine.

Velvetfish Dorsal Spine

Macro image of the venomous dorsal-fin spine of a velvetfish (Ptarmus). The venom gland is the peach colored tissue that rests in a groove on the dorsal-fin spine.

Fangtooth Blenny Venomous Tooth

Macro image of one of the few venom apparatuses in fishes that is not a dorsal spine. In the fangtooth blennies, a paired set of fangs carries the venom from the beige sack down the grooved tooth and into the prey item.

Flasher Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis)

Venomous Flasher Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis) that has characteristic bright marks on inside of pectoral fin and venomous dorsal, anal, and pelvic-fin spines.

Prehistoric Monster Fish (Thalassophryne)

This venomous species that is occasionally sold in the pet trade as the Prehistoric Monster Fish is also known as the freshwater toadfish (Thalassophryne amazonica). Other than catfishes and stingrays, there are just a handful of freshwater venom fishes. This species is common in freshwater rivers in northern South America.

Canary Fangtooth Blenny (Meiacanthus)

The Canary Fangtooth Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) is a common marine aquarium fish that is one of the few venomous fishes that have venomous fangs.

Coral Croucher (Caracanthus)

The small and venomous Coral Croucher (Caracanthus) is one of the few fishes that lives among the venomous spines of corals and anemones. In addition to being able to avoid the stings of venomous corals, Coral Crouchers can inflict a painful sting from their venomous dorsal spines.

Waspfish (Paracentropogon)

One of the venomous waspfishes (Paracentropogon). Like many of its close relatives, this species mimics leaves as it moves along the seafloor in shallow sandy bottoms.

Lipstick Tang (Naso)

The common aquarium fish, the Lipstick Tang (Naso) have venomous dorsal and anal spines. Most surgeonfishes are venomous when young, but Naso is one of the few genera that remains venomous throughout its life.

Leaffish (Taenionotus)

The venomous leaffish (Taenionotus) is one of the thinnest scorpionfishes. Unlike its lionfish relatives, this species mimics leaves when it moves like the waspfishes.

Devil Firefish (Pterois)

The Devil Firefish (Pterois) is one of the few venomous species (along with most lionfishes and fangtoothed blennies) that have warning coloration. The Devil Firefish like most lionfishes will use its large pectoral fins to block prey items into corners. Lionfishes will often orient their heads down and swim dorsal-fin spines first as they trap their prey. They can pitch their bodies in this way via specialized musculature in their body cavities that allow them to change the center of buoyancy by pulling their swim bladder forward or backward.

Bearded Ghoulfish (Inimicus)

The Bearded Ghoulfish (Inimicus) is a close relative of the deadly stonefishes. These fishes bury themselves in the sand, and crawl around on the seafloor using its two free pectoral-fin rays.