Chinese trumpetfish in shape to the anal fin which is just under. The pelvic fins are located in the middle of the body and are small, with one basal black spot. The body coloration can be uniform or mottled in a range of grey, brown, or dark green. Some fish are uniformly bright yellow. The rear part of the body is normally black with white dots. Two black spots are present on the tail. The compound set of the long caudal peduncle and the caudal fin is yellowish, whatever the fish coloration. Caudal fin usually has two round black spots, at least
Parapterois more (18–21) pectoral fin rays than "Pterois" (12–17), and, in the former, these rays may be branched, while they are never branched in "Pterois". "Parapterois" have two anal fin spines, while "Pterois" have three. Also, as a more obvious trait, the caudal fin of these fish are truncated with longer upper and lower caudal fin rays, while the caudal fin in "Pterois" is rounded. "Parapterois" are native to the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific Ocean. Despite the popularity of other lionfish, "Parapterois" species are only rarely found in the aquarium trade. "P. heterura" can be found on certain online