Synanceia verrucosa was first formally described in 1801 by the German naturalists Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider with the type locality given as India.

It is the most widespread species in the stonefish family, and is known from shallow tropical marine waters in the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, ranging from the Red Sea and coastal East Africa to French Polynesia, southern Japan and surrounding Taiwan.

[2] There is recent evidence showing the presence of S. verrucosa in the far eastern Mediterranean Sea since at least 2010 as one was caught near Yavne, Israel – an introduction due either to the release of aquarium specimens or to migrations via the Suez Canal.

Their skin texture and color is highly irregular which helps them hide and remain camouflaged when among rocks and corals.

[14] A large dose can be fatal to humans, generally young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

First aid includes immersion of the affected limb in hot water; this is thought to help denature the proteins in the venom.

The venom consists of a mixture of proteins, including the hemolytic stonustoxin, the proteinaceous verrucotoxin, and the cardiotoxic cardioleputin.

The reef stonefish lives most of its life as a solitary animal, and during mating season only aggregates with the opposite sex for a short time.

When a female stonefish has reached sexual maturity, she will lay her unfertilized eggs on the floor of the reef.

The mating system of the reef stonefish is promiscuity, as the female will not discriminate between which males can lay their sperm on the egg layer.