The demon stinger or devil stinger (Inimicus didactylus) is a member of the Inimicus genus of venomous fishes, closely related to the true stonefishes. They are nocturnal, and often dig themselves partially into the sandy seabed during the day. The body is red or sandy yellow and well camouflaged on sandy and coral seabeds. Adults can attain a body length of up to 26 centimeters in length. The body color is red or sandy yellow with light blotches, and very similar to that of the surrounding sandy or coral seabed in which they are found. This coloration acts as a camouflage which renders them extremely difficult to detect in their natural habitat. The skin is without scales except along the lateral line, and is covered with venomous spines and wartlike glands which give it a knobby appearance. The head is flattened, depressed and concave. The eyes, mouth and nostrils project upwards and outwards from the dorsal aspect of the head.

@のとじま水族館

Part 15 of my documentary, "Mucky Secrets", about the fascinating marine creatures of the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. One fish that divers should be wary of in the Lembeh Strait is the demon stinger (Inimicus didactylus) as its sting is extremely painful and can be deadly to humans. They have excellent camouflage and often lie partially buried in the muck. These fish are more closely related to the lethal stonefish than to scorpionfishes, and are known by a multitude of other evocative common names including spiny devilfish, bearded ghoul and sea goblin. The lower two rays of the pectoral fins are detached from the fin, and the demon stinger walks on them in a manner similar to some dragonets. Demon stingers have no known predators. Many fellow bottom dwellers are oblivious to their existence. We see a fireworm (Chloeia parva) a type of bristleworm, crawling right over the top of a well-camouflaged demon stinger. Like their scorpionfish relatives, waspfishes (family Tetrarogidae) are also armed with venomous spines in their dorsal fin. We see another type of polychaete worm wriggling past a wispy waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis). The wispy waspfish's coloration is variable. Bandtail waspfishes (Paracentropogon zonatus) are sometimes found too, and the whiteface waspfish (Richardsonichthys leucogaster) is one of the more common types. With its spines erect, like its namesake's crest, the cockatoo waspfish (Ablabys taenianotus) sways from side to side, mimicking a dead leaf in surge. They are sometimes found in pairs on the open seabed.

Images: Bjoertvedt and Silke Baron

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If only they could talk! Just think of the wonderful threats...

Paddle Flap Scorpionfish