Related FAQs: Lionfishes & their Relatives, Articles and FAQ Files on Related Groups: Keeping Lionfishes and their Scorpaeniform Kin by Anthony Calfo and Robert Fenner, Small Scorpionfishes: Lionfishes and More of Diminutive Size by Bob Fenner Lionfish & Their Relatives, Subfamily Choridactylinae (Inimicinae),, Subfamily Synanceinae, the Stonefishes, Subfamily Tetraroginae, Sailback Scorpionfishes or Wasp Fishes, Family Triglidae, the Searobins or Gurnards, Family Dactylopteridae/Flying Gurnards, Sculpins/Family Cottidae, Hemitripterids (more Sculpins), Cyclopterids (Lumpfishes) /A Diversity of Aquatic Life The Mail-Cheeked Fishes: Scorpionfishes; Lions & Many More

By Bob Fenner

Pterois radiata

 

Scorpionfishes: Lionfishes & Much More for Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Order Scorpaeniformes, the "Mail-Cheeked Fishes", 25 families, about 166 genera, 1,271 species. There are " a bunch " of "scorpionfishes" to put it mildly. All have large heads, most with large eyes and mouths to match... for the most part sedentary to slow moving, stalking fishes... many are venomous... with hollow dorsal fin spines that can inject (with mechanical pressure) powerful proteinaceous toxin... These stings HURT! Mechanically and chemically. .

    Suborder Dactylopteroidei, Family Dactylopteridae, the Flying Gurnards. Two genera, about 7 species, three in Indonesia.

Dactyloptena orientalis (Cuvier 1829), the Oriental Flying Gurnard. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea, East Africa to Hawai'i, Tuamotus, Marquesas. To 40 cm. Demersal; lives on shallow sandy bottoms. Only member of genus found on oceanic islands. N. Sulawesi images.

    Suborder Scorpaenoidei. Contains world's most venomous fishes. Seven families, about 96 genera, 544 species.

        Family Scorpaenidae, the Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes. 56 plus genera and 388 species.

            Subfamily Sebastinae, the Rockfishes. Important foodfishes. Four genera, about 128 species.

            Subfamily Scorpaeninae, various Scorpionfishes. 15 plus genera with more than 150 species.

            Subfamily Sebastolobinae. Three genera of five species.

            Subfamily Plectrogeninae. One genus, two species.

            Subfamily Pteroinae. The Lionfishes and Turkeyfishes discussed here

            Subfamily Setarchinae. Three genera, five species.

            Subfamily Neosebastinae. Two genera, twelve species.

            Subfamily Apistinae. Three monotypic genera.

            Subfamily Tetraroginae, Sailback Scorpionfishes or Wasp Fishes. 11 plus genera and 35 species.

            Subfamily Minoinae. One genus, 11 species.

            Subfamily Choridactylinae (Inimicinae). Two genera, ten species.

            Subfamily Synanceinae, the Stonefishes proper. Six genera, ten species.

    Family Caracanthidae, Orbicular Velvetfishes. One genus, four species. All marine, found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. To 7 cm.

Caracanthus maculatus (Gray 1831),  Spotted Coral Croucher. Indo-Pacific; East Indies to Polynesia. To 5 cm. Aquarium photo. Lives amongst branches of Pocilloporid and Acroporid corals.

    Family Aploactinidae, the Velvetfishes. Approximately 17 genera and 37 species.

    Family Pataecidae, Australian Prowfishes. Three genera and nine species.

    Family Gnathacanthidae, the Red Velvetfish. One species.

    Family Congiopodidae, the (bizarre) Racehorses, aka Pigfishes, Horsefishes. Four genera, 9 species.

    Family Triglidae, the Searobins or Gurnards. Divided into two subfamilies and three Tribes. 

Suborder Platycephaloidei, Crocodilefishes, Flatheads. Three families, 23 genera, about 75 species.

    Family Bembridae, the Deepwater Flatheads. Four genera, five species.

    Family Platycephalidae, Crocodilefishes or Flatheads. 18 genera of about 60 species.

    Family Hoplichthyidae, the Ghost Flatheads. One genus, ten species

And more I/we'll eventually list and go over like the sculpins/cottids, agonids/poachers, hexagrammids/greenlings... but not today.

 

Scorpionfishes: Lionfishes & Much More for Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner