The common lionfish is unmistakable: a stocky body adorned with dramatic striped pectoral and dorsal fins that fan out like a mane when the fish is hunting or threatened. It grows to around 38 cm and inhabits coral reefs and rocky outcrops across the Indo-Pacific, typically found between 2 and 200 metres. Despite its ornate appearance, all those fin spines deliver venom—a potent deterrent that makes this predator bold and slow-moving as it stalks small fish and crustaceans. Lionfish are voracious nocturnal hunters and have become invasive in the western Atlantic, where they lack natural predators.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Scorpaenidae
- Genus
- Pterois
Most likely to be seen at
Sites where its range and habitat make it likely — not yet confirmed by a logged sighting.