Meet the Fish With a Switchblade on Its Face

A cleared and stained specimen of a Warty Prowfish (Aetapcus maculatus). (Credit: William Leo Smith) Deadly fish known for their spikes and venom may pack a newfound weapon — switchblades on their faces, some of which can fluoresce green, a new study finds. The discovery began when ichthyologist William Leo Smith at the University of Kansas at Lawrence dissected a wispy waspfish that had been his pet. Wispy waspfish are a species of stonefish, a group inhabiting Indian and Pacific coastal waters that are among the deadliest in the oceans. Many protect themselves with spikes or camouflage, and "some stonefishes are the most venomous fishes on Earth — they can easily kill an adult human," Smith said. "Defensiveness has just run amok in this group."