fins are very large. In most species there is a fleshy extension on the anterior isthmus. There are no teeth on the palatines and no gill slit to the rear of last gill arch. One species, Prosoproctus pataecus, from the South China Sea, uniquely among scorpaenoids has its anus very far forward, just to the rear of the base of the pelvic fins. These are small fishes with the largest species being the roughskin scorpionfish (Cocotropus monacanthus) which has a maximum published total length of . Distribution and habitat Velvetfishes are found mainly in the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans, but some species are found in the eastern Indian Ocean. The adults are found among vegetation or over rocky, shelly, coral rubble or coralline algae substrates. Biology Velvetfishes are uncommon and little-known. These fishes are very well camouflaged ambush predators hiding amongst algae or rubble on or in the vicinity of rocky and coral reefs. The spines in the fin are venom bearing. Little is known about their spawning behaviour but they do have pelagic larvae, the large pectoral fins develop early as an adaptation to their pelagic mode of life. References Aploactinidae Scorpaeniformes Taxa named by David Starr Jordan Taxa named by Edwin Chapin Starks Fish families