Photography by Valji Varia
www.natural-variation.com
STONEFISH - Synanceia verrucosa, the reef stonefish or just stonefish, is a species of venomous, marine ray-finned fish, a stonefish belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae which is classified as being within the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. It is the most widespread species of stonefish, mostly found in shallow waters of the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific. It is the deadliest fish in the sea, with highly effective venom which can be lethal to humans.
Stonefish are usually brown or grey, and may have areas of yellow, orange, or red. The dorsal fin is lined with 13 spines, each of which has two venom sacs. The spines are sharp and stiff. Stonefish venom can be fatal at a dose of only 18mg, which the fish is capable of releasing with only six of its thirteen spines. In reef stonefish the fatal protein is the verrucotoxin protein, cauing severe pain, shock, paralysis, and tissue death. A large dose can be fatal to humans, generally young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
Other marine life is diverse and abundant, including different types of sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, manta rays (November to April), turtles, barracuda, tuna, Napoleons, morays, schools of jacks and trevally, leaf fish, angelfish, butterflyfish, corals, hawkfish, Moorish idols, parrotfish, Portuguese man o' wars, sea turtles, surgeonfish, sweetlips, triggerfish, unicornfish and Sunfish