The pitted stonefish was first formally described as Synanceia erosa in 1829 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as "Seas of Japan".

[6] However, other authorities regard Synanceiidae as a valid family and the Synanceiini as the subfamily Synanceiinae.

[4] Erosa means "gnawed" or "eaten away", an allusion to the dimpled surfaces of the bones.

There mat be dark crossbands and lines of irregular shaped white spots on the pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fins.

[2] The pitted stonefish is found in the Indo-Pacific from southern Japan south to Australia and has been recorded from Korea, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Caledonia and Tonga.