Tetraroginae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes, commonly known as waspfishes or sailback scorpionfishes, belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. These fishes are native to the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific. As their name suggests, waspfishes are often venomous; having poison glands on their spines. They are bottom-dwelling fish, living at depths to 300 metres (980 ft). These creatures usually live in hiding places on the sea bottom.
Tetraroginae waspfishes have compressed bodies with heads typically with ridges and spines. The spines on the operculum are divergent and the gill membrane is free from isthmus. There is a large mobile spine below each eye which may be projected outwards. The venom borne on the spines of these fishes is very potent. They are small fish, from 2.5–23 cm (1–9 in).
Tetraroginae waspfishes are almost all found in the Indian and western Pacific Ocean, the exception is the smoothskin scorpionfish (Coccotropsis gymnoderma) found in the southeastern Atlantic off South Africa. They are demersal fishes, mostly marine, but some species will live in brackish water with one, the bullrout (Notesthes robusta) spending much of its life in the freshwater reaches of rivers. Tetraroge nigra, sometimes called the freshwater waspfish, may also be found in freshwater, although it is primarily brackish.
Top-rated dive sites where divers have spotted Waspfish.
