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Reef stonefish
Synanceia verrucosa
Distribution: Indo- Pacific : Red Sea and East Africa , French Polynesia , north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands, south to Queensland, Australia. Habitat: The reef stonefish meets day in rock and wrecks , where he lives usually hidden in crevices areas. It can also be found in sandy areas in which it is buried. The reef stonefish skin secretes a milky fluid glands that promotes the development of algae and hydroids making it particularly cryptic . Extremely venomous fish , thirteen dorsal spines cause extremely painful stings. Its very powerful venom is a very dangerous species. Symptoms depend on the size of the stone fish. The pain is intense and violent accompanied by a swelling that can last several weeks. Treatment is symptomatic . The venom is thermolabile must " heat " injury : hot water ( above 50 ° C) , lit cigarette , etc. . Pain is opposed by sedatives and analgesics. Respiratory resuscitation should be implemented in the event of a serious accident . We must prevent superinfection pyogenic and tetanus. There is one specific antivenom " anti -stone fishes ", manufactured in Australia and very effective if injected rapidly (Stone fish antivenom Common Wealth Serum Laboratories , Department of Health, Melbourne , Victoria. ) . Food : It feeds at night on small fish and shrimp he aspires with his mouth in a motion deemed to be the fastest in the world. |
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Taxonomic classification
| Phylum: | Chordata | Class: | Actinopterygii | Sub class: | Neopterygii | To print in "PDF" format |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes | Sub order: | Scorpaenoidei | Family: | Synanceiidae | |
| Genus: | Synanceia | Species: | verrucosa | Descriptor: | Bloch & Schneider, 1801 |  |