Common Lionfish

Pterois volitans

Red to almost black bands and pairs of white stripes.

Size : 43 cm

Habitat : In lagoons, coastal and outer reefs, 1-50 m. Common species. Often suspended below overhangs during the day, occasionally also active in search of food. Hunts predominantly at night, feeds on small fish, shrimps and crabs. Not shy, often even approaches divers.

Distribution : Gulf of Thailand to Western Australia, SW Japan, Micronesia, Marquesas Islands, Pitcairn Islands and now the Caribbean as and alien invader.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Actinopterygii

ORDER

:

Perciformes

FAMILY

:

Scorpaenidae

GENUS

:

Pterois

SPECIES

:

Pterois volitans

Other Information

Population Status

Least Concern (LC)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner