Lionfish
| Lionfish | |
|---|---|
| Pterois volitans | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Scorpaenidae |
| Subfamily: | Pteroinae |
| Genus: | Pterois Oken, 1817 |
| Type species | |
| Scorpaena volitans Bloch, 1787
| |
| Synonyms | |
Lionfish (genus Pterois) are venomous marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific. They are characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red or black bands and ostentatious dorsal fins tipped with venomous spines. Pterois radiata, Pterois volitans, and Pterois miles are the most commonly studied species in the genus. Pterois species are popular aquarium fish. P. volitans and P. miles are recent and significant invasive species in the west Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.