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| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrata > fishes |
| Hollow-cheeked
stonefish Synanceia horrida Family Synanceiidae updated Oct 09
Where seen? This squat grumpy-looky, ugly fish is, to our discomfort, quite commonly encountered on our Southern shores. And once on our Northern shores. Resembling a encrusted stone, it is often overlooked. When spotted, however, a stonefish is often the subject of morbid fascination due to its hideous appearance and potent venom. What are stonefishes? Stonefishes belong to Family Synanceiidae. According to FishBase: the family has 9 genera and 31 species. They are found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are sometimes classified as members of the Family Scorpaenidae. Features: Stonefishes really look like stones. They grow to about 30-40cm although those seen on the intertidal at low tide are about half that size. The Hollow-cheek stonefish (Synanceia horrida) grows to nearly 50cm, those seen about 15-20cm. The eyes are close together with a bony ridge between them. It has a deep depression below each eye. The huge mouth faces upwards and is curved into a perpetual frown. The skin is leathery with prominent warts on the sides. Also called the Estuarine stonefish, it is also found in muddy places and estuaries. During the day, it lies motionless on the sandy bottom, in a shallow depression that it creates by scooping sand out and piling sand around its sides with its pectoral fins. At night, it is more active and often moves on top of reefs. The Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) has a deep depression between the eyes and doesn't have hollow 'cheeks'. It is considered the most widespread stonefish found on sandy or coral rubble areas of reef flats, in shallow lagoons and tide pools during low tide. This fish has yet to be encountered during an intertidal visit. Sometimes mistaken for scorpionfishes. Here's more on how to tell apart fishes that look like stones.
What do they eat? Stonefishes are carnivores but don't actively hunt their prey. Instead, they lie motionless, relying on their camouflage to remain undetected. When a suitable snack comes close enough, they suck it into their huge mouths, or grab it with a sudden lunge of incredible speed. They generally eat fishes and crustaceans. What will eat a stonefish? Incredible as it may sound, some animals do eat them. According to the Australian Museum, sharks and rays and a sea snake (Astrotia stokesii) eats them! And of course, some people eat them as a delicacy. Human uses: The stonefish is harvested for the live aquarium trade, as well as an exotic delicacy. Status and threats: The Hollow-cheek stonefish is not listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. However, like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Over-collection can also have an impact on local populations. |
 The Hollow-cheek stonefish really looks like a stone! Tanah Merah, Aug 09  Raffles Lighthouse, Aug 06  Bony ridge between the eyes, deep depressions beneath the eye. Mouth facing upwards in a frown. Raffles Lighthouse, Aug 06  Tough spines on top of the body that can penetrate a thick soled shoe! Raffles Lighthouse, Aug 06  Underside. Pulau Hantu, Mar 06  A tiny one! Sisters Island, May 09 Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog. |
It is well camouflaged. Look carefully.Hollow-cheeked stonefishes on Singapore shores
 Sisters Island, Apr 04  |
 Chek Jawa, Jul 05  |
 Pulau Hantu, Mar 06  |
| Filmed on Tanah
Merah, Feb 10 Stonefish @ Tanah Merah 13Feb2010 from BeachBum on Vimeo. |
more photos of hollow-cheeked stonefishes on Singapore shores
| Family
Synanceiidae recorded for Singapore from Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore. in red are those listed among the threatened animals of Singapore from Ng, P. K. L. & Y. C. Wee, 1994. The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened Plants and Animals of Singapore.
Fishes in the Family Synanceiidae are sometimes classified in Family Scorpaenidae |
Links
References
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Periplus Editions. 292 pp.|
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