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.

They should not be confused with the cabezones, of the genus Scorpaenichthys, which belong to a separate, though related, family, Cottidae.

There are venom glands in the spines of the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins in some species.

Most species utilise internal fertilisation, and some species are ovoviviparous while others lay their eggs in a gelatinous mass, with Scorpaena guttata being reported to create a gelatinous "egg balloon" as large as 20 cm (7.9 in) across.