Which fish has a venomous barb on its tail?

The fish with a venomous barb on its tail is the stingray. The barb, often called a stinger or spine, is a sharp defensive structure found on the tails of many rays.

Stingrays usually do not hunt or attack people. When threatened—especially when accidentally stepped on—they can whip the tail upward, driving the serrated spine into a predator or intruder. Venom from tissue around the spine can cause intense pain and injury.

A common mix-up is with stonefish and lionfish, which are also venomous fish. Their venomous spines are located in fins, however, not as a barb on the tail. Catfish may also have defensive spines, but they do not fit this distinctive description.

Stingrays are close relatives of sharks and have flattened bodies suited to life on the seafloor. Their stingers are defensive tools, not weapons they use to pursue prey.