Student Stuff
Demon Stingerfish
Inimicus caledonicus (Sauvage, 1878)
A Demon Stingerfish collected in Port Vila, Vanuatu, during the Vanuatu 1997 fieldtrip.
The Demon Stingerfish can be recognised by its head shape, and its long pectoral fins which it uses for crawling along the bottom. As its name suggests this species has venomous dorsal fin spines which can inflict a painful wound.
This species is usually found in sandy areas and seagrass beds. It grows to about 25 cm in length.
The specimen in the photograph was caught by M. McGrouther on a sandy slope about five metres from the shore, using a throw net. The fish has such long spines that, when the net was hauled in, the initial reaction of onlookers was that a piece of tangled wire was caught in the net rather than a fish.
Further reading
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 507.
- View the Demon Stingerfish fact sheet.
