Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Lionfish have 18 venomous spines total: 2 pelvic spines, 3 anal spines, and 13 dorsal spines. Pterois is a genus of venomous marine fish, commonly known as the lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. It is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red or black bands and ostentatious dorsal fins tipped with venomous spines.
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes.It is mainly native to the Indo-Pacific region, but has become an invasive species in the Caribbean Sea, as well as along the East Coast of the United States and East Mediterranean and also found in Brazil at Fernando de Noronha.
The common lionfish is mainly nocturnal and hides in crevices during the daytime. It feeds on fish and small crustaceans. It has few predators, probably because of its venomous spines, but larger lionfish do prey on smaller ones. Moray eels have shown resistance to the spines and it was reported that lion fish are included in their diet.
They prey mainly on crustaceans and small fishes, including juveniles of their own species, which are approached slowly using undulating fins. They are normally solitary and will protect a home range from other broadbarred lionfishes and other lionfish species. They do form aggregations as juveniles and for breeding.
It will eat anything it can fit into its mouth – and has the mildly terrifying ability to smash larger prey on rocks to make it bite-size. Consequently, they can be threatening, especially to ...
This may be designed to distract, or possibly even attract, the prey to the fish. It has also been suggested that the fleshy tentacles on the upper jaw, which give it the name of "Fu-Manchu lionfish" in the aquarium trade, [6] may be used to attract prey to within striking distance.
Sea robins are so adept at rooting out prey as they walk along the ocean floor on their six leglike appendages that other fish follow them around in the hope of snagging some freshly uncovered ...
The lionfish is a venomous coral reef fish. [11] Unlike stonefish, a lionfish can release venom only if something strikes its spines. Although not native to the U.S. coast, lionfish have appeared around Florida and have spread up the coast to New York, possibly due to a hurricane washing captive specimens into natural waters. Lionfish can ...