Its only species was Choridactylus multibarbus which Richardson had also described in 1848 with its type locality 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 rays of C. multibarbus, a feature which "readily distinguished" it from other stonefishes known to Richardson.

[5] 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.