MASTERS OF DISGUISE

What is one of the most venomous fish in the world? 

Reef Stone Fish

The Reef Stone Fish is typically found motionless on the seafloor, appearing to be a stone or piece of coral.  Their 13 dorsal fin spines can inject an extremely poisonous venom.  It is found throughout tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.  In Australia, it has been recorded found from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, to far Northern New South Wales.

The Reef Stone Fish is among the most venomous fish in the world.  The venom causes intense pain and has killed many Pacific and Indian Ocean Islanders.  An antivenom was developed in 1959 and has reduced the likelihood of death after a sting.  

Their name comes from their ability to blend in with rocky sea floors and among the coral.  This is what makes them so dangerous.  They're easily stepped on by people.  They're masters of disguise.

Stone Fish are ambush predators.  They sink themselves into the sand and patiently wait for their prey (little fish and shrimp) to swim by. 

The Australian Aboriginal people use dance and song to preserve their legends and stories.  Their dances involve rhythmic movements and chanting, lots of times around a fire.  One of their dances warns their children of the dangers of the Stone Fish stings and features a man replicating the pain after being stung by one. 

According to a newly published study analyzing humanity's modern day predatory interactions and the environmental consequences, Earth's fiercest predators are....us.  Yuppers, homo sapiens are the most profound and wide-ranging predators of our time.  I throw this out there to amplify and magnify the noticeable and scary shift in human interaction.