see text The Australian prowfishes are a small family, the Pataecidae, of ray-finned fishes classified within the order Scorpaeniformes.

[5] A recent study placed this family into an expanded stonefish clade, Synanceiidae, because all of these fish have a lachrymal sabre that can project a switch-blade-like mechanism out from underneath their eye.

[6][7] The name of the family comes from the genus name of the type species Pataecus, which is derived from Pataikos, a strangely shaped dwarf-like Phoenician deity which was used as a figurehead on the prows of ships.

[8] The Australian prowfishes are classified into three monotypic genera:[3] The Australian prowfishes are unusual scorpeanoids which have a compressed triangular body and a long, undivided dorsal fin which has its origin on the head to the front of the eyes.

[4] Australian prowfishes are endemic to the coastal waters of southern Australia.