# Choridactylus

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***Choridactylus*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of marine [ray-finned fishes](/source/Ray-finned_fishes), it is one of two genera in the [tribe](/source/Tribe_(biology)) [Choridactylini](/source/Choridactylini), one of the three tribes which are [classified](/source/Classification_of_living_organisms) within the [subfamily](/source/Subfamily) [Synanceiinae](/source/Synanceiinae) within the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Scorpaenidae](/source/Scorpaenidae), the scorpionfishes and their relatives. They are commonly known as **stingfishes**. They are found in the [Indo-West Pacific](/source/Indo-Pacific).

## Taxonomy

*Choridactylus* was first described as a genus in 1848 by the [Scottish](/source/Scottish_people) [naval surgeon](/source/Naval_surgeon), [Arctic explorer](/source/Arctic_explorer) and [naturalist](/source/Naturalist) [John Richardson](/source/John_Richardson_(naturalist)) as a [monotypic](/source/Monotypic_taxon) genus. Its only species was *Choridactylus multibarbus* which Richardson had also [described](/source/Species_description) in 1848 with its [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as the "Sea of China".[1][2] It is one of two genera in the tribe Choridactylini within the subfamily Synanceiinae of the family Scorpaenidae.[3] However, some authorities classify this taxon as a subfamily Choridactylinae within the family Synanceiidae.[1] The generic name is made up of *choris*, meaning "separated", and *dactylus*, which means "finger", and allusion to the detached [pectoral fin](/source/Pectoral_fin) rays of *C. multibarbus*, a feature which "readily distinguished" it from other stonefishes known to Richardson.[4]

## Species

There are currently four recognized species in this genus:[5]

- *[Choridactylus lineatus](/source/Choridactylus_lineatus)* [Poss](/source/Stuart_G._Poss) & [Mee](/source/Jonathan_Kevin_Lorne_Mee), 1995 (Lined stingfish)
- *[Choridactylus multibarbus](/source/Choridactylus_multibarbus)* [J. Richardson](/source/John_Richardson_(naturalist)), 1848 (Orangebanded stingfish)
- *[Choridactylus natalensis](/source/Choridactylus_natalensis)* ([Gilchrist](/source/John_Dow_Fisher_Gilchrist), 1902) (Threestick stingfish)
- *[Choridactylus striatus](/source/Choridactylus_striatus)* [Mandritsa](/source/Sergey_Anatolyevich_Mandritsa), 1993

## Characteristics

*Choridactylus* stingfishes have 12-15 spines and 8-10 soft rays in the [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin) with 2 spines and 8-10 soft rays in the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin). The [pectoral fins](/source/Pectoral_fin) have 12 fin rays with the 3 lower rays being separated. They have small blunt heads with bulging eyes with an occipital depression. The mouth is small and slightly oblique with villiform teeth on the jaws with no [vomerine teeth](/source/Vomerine_teeth) or [palatine teeth](/source/Palatine_bone). The body has small tentacles or skin flaps on the lower jaw, eye, spiny dorsal fin and spiny anal fin. There are tufts on the [lateral line](/source/Lateral_line) and upper body.[6] These fishes vary in size from a [total length](/source/Total_length) of 14 cm (5.5 in) in *C. multibarbus* and *C. natalensis* to 25 cm (9.8 in) in *C. lineatus*.[5]

## Distribution and habitat

*Choridactylus* stingfishes are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, *C. multibarbus* is widespread reaching from Red Sea to the Philippines but the other three species are restricted to the western Indian Ocean.[5] These fishes occur in shallow waters over sandy substrates.[6]

## References

1. J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). [*Fishes of the World*](https://web.archive.org/web/20190408194051/https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/). 5th ed. Wiley. pp. 468–475. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. Archived from [the original](https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/) on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-05.

1. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (eds.) (10 March 2022). ["Order Perciformes (Part 10): Suborder Scorpaenoidei: Families Apistidae, Tetrarogidae, Synanceiidae, Aploacrinidae, Perryenidae, Eschmeyeridae, Pataceidae, Gnathanacanthidae, Congiopodidae and Zanclorhynchidae"](https://etyfish.org/perciformes10/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

1. Eschmeyer, W. N.; Hallacher, L. E.; Rama-Rao, K. V. (1979). ["Fishes of the Scorpionfish subfamily Choridactylinae From the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15691916#page/509/mode/1up). *Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences*. **41** (21): 475–500.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Choridactylus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choridactylus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choridactylus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.