Lionfish - Overview

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Scorpaenidae

Genus: Pterois

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Population Trend: increasing

Distribution: Native to the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean. Now being found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Description: Red, white and black striped fish with frilly fins and venomous spiky tentacles.

Size: Length from 6.2 to 42.4 cm. Weight up to 480g

Life span: Average of 15 years

Food: Crabs, shrimp, mollusks, fish.  The Lionfish is notoriously unfussy when it comes to selecting it's dinner with some found with six species of prey in their bellies.