A fish belonging to the genus Synanceia (family Synanceiidae) that has a short, thick body, many wart-like protrusions covering its smooth skin, a large mouth oriented obliquely, and small eyes. Stonefish partly bury themselves in sand, camouflaging themselves to resemble stones or coral while awaiting prey, and defend themselves with four strong spines on the dorsal fin that become erect if the fish is disturbed and inject venom, a neurotoxin capable of killing a human, into the foot of anyone stepping on it. There are five species found on coral reefs and in coastal waters, occasionally entering rivers, throughout the Indo-Pacific region.