Scorpaenidae
| Scorpionfish Temporal range:  | |
|---|---|
| Scorpaenopsis oxycephala | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Actinopterygii | 
| Order: | Perciformes | 
| Suborder: | Scorpaenoidei | 
| Family: | Scorpaenidae A. Risso, 1826 | 
| Type species | |
| Scorpaena porcus | |
| Subfamilies | |
| See text | |
The Scorpaenidae (also known as scorpionfish) are a family of mostly marine fish that includes many of the world's most venomous species. As their name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venomous mucus. The family is a large one, with hundreds of members. They are widespread in tropical and temperate seas but mostly found in the Indo-Pacific. They should not be confused with the cabezones, of the genus Scorpaenichthys, which belong to a separate, though related, family, Cottidae.