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Species
Pterois
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Genomic DNA is available from 20 specimens
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In a meta-analysis conducted by Cote et al. (2013), the effect of invasive lionfish in the Caribbean was found to be compounded by continuous reproduction and high fecundity of individuals, rapid life-history, and intense competition with native species. Adult females produce between 10,000 and 40,000 eggs per spawning event, releasing eggs on a continuous basis when conditions are favorable. Spawning events have been observed to occur appoximately every 4 days in warm summer months, perhaps increasing in frequency in the more southern extensions of its introduced range leading to an average annual fecundity exceeding 2 million eggs per female. Individuals have also been shown to grow more rapidly in their invaded range when compared to growth rates in the native Pacific range, becoming sexually mature within the first year of life. The meta-analysis also point out that the invasive lionfish have superior competitive abilities over native species, achieving faster growth and maturity than natives. The naivete of prey, being unaccustomed to lionfish as a predator, allow lionfish to indirectly outcompete native piscivorous fish species. Being generalist feeders, lionfish prey on a wide range of native species which decreases the abundance of reef fishes and recruits of larger species that would otherwise outgrow lionfish (Cote et al.2013). Lionfish feed almost continuously, sometimes consuming fish up to almost half their size, effectively slowing stock regeneration of native fish species (Morris and Akins 2009).
Pterois is a genus of venomous marine fish, commonly known as lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. Pterois, also called zebrafish, firefish, turkeyfish or butterfly-cod,[1] is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red, white, creamy, or black bands, showy pectoral fins, and venomous spiky fin rays.[2][3]Pterois radiata, Pterois volitans, and Pterois miles are the most commonly studied species in the genus. Pterois species are popular aquarium fish.[2]P. volitans and P. miles are a recent and significant invasive species in the west Atlantic and Caribbean Sea.
Contents
Species[edit]
There are currently 11 recognized species in this genus:
- Pterois andover G. R. Allen & Erdmann, 2008 (Andover lionfish)
- Pterois antennata Bloch, 1787 (Spotfin lionfish)
- Pterois brevipectoralis Mandritsa, 2002
- Pterois lunulata Temminck & Schlegel, 1843 (Luna lionfish)
- Pterois miles J. W. Bennett, 1828 (Devil firefish)
- Pterois mombasae J. L. B. Smith, 1957 (Frillfin turkeyfish)
- Pterois paucispinula Matsunuma & Motomura, 2014 [4]
- Pterois radiata G. Cuvier, 1829 (Clearfin lionfish)
- Pterois russelii E. T. Bennett, 1831 (Soldier lionfish)
- Pterois sphex D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1903 (Hawaiian turkeyfish)
- Pterois volitans Linnaeus, 1758 (Red lionfish)
Description[edit]
Pterois fish in the Atlantic range from 5 to 45 cm (2.0 to 17.7 in) in length, weighing from 0.025 to 1.3 kg (0.055 to 2.866 lb).[3][5][6] They are well known for their ornate beauty, venomous spines, and unique tentacles.[7][8] Juvenile lionfish have a unique tentacle located above their eye sockets that varies in phenotype between species.[7] The evolution of this tentacle is suggested to serve to continually attract new prey; studies also suggest it plays a role in sexual selection.[7]
Ecology and behavior[edit]
Pterois species can live from five to 15 years and have complex courtship and mating behaviors.[9] Females release two mucus-filled egg clusters frequently, which can contain as many as 15,000 eggs.[9][10] Studies on Pterois reproductive habits have increased significantly in the past decade.[10] All the species are aposematic: they have conspicuous coloration with boldly contrasting stripes and wide fans of projecting spines, advertising their ability to defend themselves.[11]
Prey[edit]
According to a study that involved the dissection of over 1,400 lionfish stomachs from Bahamian to North Carolinian waters, Pterois fish prey mostly on small fish, invertebrates, and mollusks in large amounts, with some specimens’ stomachs containing up to six different species of prey.[5] The amount of prey in lionfish stomachs over the course of the day suggests lionfish feed most actively from 7:00–11:00 am, with decreased feeding throughout the afternoon. Lionfish are skilled hunters, using specialized bilateral swim bladder muscles to provide exquisite control of location in the water column, allowing the fish to alter its center of gravity to better attack prey.[5] The lionfish then spreads its large pectoral fins and swallows its prey in a single motion.[9] They blow jets of water while approaching prey, apparently to disorient them.[12]
Predators and parasites[edit]
Aside from instances of larger lionfish individuals engaging in cannibalism on smaller individuals, adult lionfish have few identified natural predators, likely from the effectiveness of their venomous spines. Moray eels (family Muraenidae),[13] bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii), and large groupers, like the tiger grouper (Mycteroperca tigris)[14] and Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), have been observed preying on lionfish.[15][16][17][18] It remains unknown, however, how commonly these predators prey on lionfish.[19] Sharks are also believed to be capable of preying on lionfish with no ill effects from their spines.[20] Park officials of the Roatan Marine Park in Honduras have attempted to train sharks to feed on lionfish as of 2011 in an attempt to control the invasive populations in the Caribbean.[21][22] Predators of larvae and juvenile lionfish remain unknown, but may prove to be the primary limiting factor of lionfish populations in their native range.[13]
Parasites of lionfish have rarely been observed and are assumed to be infrequent. They include isopods and leeches.[23]
Interaction with humans[edit]
Lionfish are known for their venomous fin rays, an uncommon feature among marine fish in the East Coast coral reefs. The potency of their venom makes them excellent predators and venomous to fishermen and divers.[3]Pterois venom produced negative inotropic and chronotropic effects when tested in both frog and clam hearts[24] and has a depressing effect on rabbit blood pressure.[25] These results are thought to be due to nitric oxide release.[8] In humans, Pterois venom can cause systemic effects such as extreme pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, breathing difficulties, convulsions, dizziness, redness on the affected area, headache, numbness, paresthesia (pins and needles), heartburn, diarrhea, and sweating. Rarely, such stings can cause temporary paralysis of the limbs, heart failure, and even death. Fatalities are common in very young children, the elderly, those with a weak immune system, or those who are allergic to their venom. Their venom is rarely fatal to healthy humans, but some species have enough venom to produce extreme discomfort for a period of several days. However, Pterois venom is a danger to allergic victims as they may experience anaphylaxis, a serious and often life-threatening condition that requires immediate emergency medical treatment. Severe allergic reactions to Pterois venom include chest pain, severe breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure, swelling of the tongue, sweating, runny nose, or slurred speech. Such reactions can be fatal if not treated.
Lionfish are edible if prepared correctly (see below).[26]
Native range and habitat[edit]
The lionfish is a predator native to the Indo-Pacific. It aggressively preys on small fish and invertebrates. They can be found around the seaward edge of reefs and coral, in lagoons, and on rocky surfaces to 50 m deep. They show a preference for turbid inshore areas and in harbors,[27] and have a generally hostile attitude and are territorial towards other reef fish.[28] Many universities in the Indo-Pacific have documented reports of Pterois aggression towards divers and researchers.[28]
Invasive introduction and range[edit]
Two of the nine species of Pterois, the red lionfish (P. volitans) and the common lionfish (P. miles), have established themselves as significant invasive species off the East Coast of the United States and in the Caribbean. About 93% of the invasive population in the Western Atlantic is P. volitans.[29] They have been described as "one of the most aggressively invasive species on the planet".[22]
The red lionfish is found off the East Coast of the United States and the Caribbean Sea, and was likely first introduced off the Florida coast by the early to mid-1990s.[30] This introduction may have occurred in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew destroyed an aquarium in southern Florida, releasing six lionfish into Biscayne Bay.[31] However, a lionfish was discovered off the coast of Dania Beach, south Florida, as early as 1985, prior to Hurricane Andrew.[5][32][33] The lionfish resemble those of the Philippines, implicating the aquarium trade.[34] The lionfish may have been purposefully discarded by unsatisfied aquarium enthusiasts.[34] In 2001, NOAA documented several sightings of lionfish off the coast of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Bermuda, and as far north now as Delaware. In August 2014, when the Gulf Stream was discharging into the mouth of the Delaware Bay, two lionfish were caught by a surf fisherman off the ocean side shore of Cape Henlopen State Park: one red one that weighed 1 pound 4.5 ounces and one common one that weighed 1 pound 2 ounces. Three days later a 1 pound 3 ounce red lionfish was caught off the shore of Broadkill Beach which is in the Delaware Bay approximately 15 miles north of Cape Henlopen State Park. Lionfish were first detected in the Bahamas in 2004.[35] Recently (June 2013) they have been discovered as far east as Barbados,[36] and as far south as the Los Roques Archipelago and many Venezuelan continental beaches.[37]
P. volitans and P. miles are native to subtropical and tropical regions from southern Japan and southern Korea to the east coast of Australia, Indonesia, Micronesia, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific Ocean.[27] Adult lionfish specimens are now found along the United States East Coast from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Florida, and off Bermuda, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean, including the Turks and Caicos, Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Belize, Honduras, and Mexico.[3] Population densities continue to increase in the invaded areas, resulting in a population boom of up to 700% in some areas between 2004 and 2008.[38] Population densities have reached levels orders of magnitude greater than in their native ranges.[39]
Pterois species are known for devouring many other aquarium fishes,[34] unusual in that they are among the few fish species to successfully establish populations in open marine systems.[40]
Pelagic larval dispersion is assumed to occur through oceanic currents, including the Gulf Stream and the Caribbean Current. Currents could eventually result in new populations along the Gulf Coast.[41] Ballast water can also contribute to the dispersal.[42]
Extreme temperatures present geographical constraints in the distribution of aquatic species,[43] indicating temperature tolerance plays a role in the lionfish’s survival, reproduction, and range of distribution.[44] The abrupt differences in water temperatures north and south of Cape Hatteras directly correlate with the abundance and distribution of Pterois.[43]Pterois expanded along the southeastern coast of the United States and occupied thermal-appropriate zones within 10 years.[43] Although the timeline of observations points to the east coast of Florida as the initial source of the western Atlantic invasion, the relationship of the United States East Coast and Bahamian lionfish invasion is uncertain.[45] Lionfish can tolerate a minimum salinity of 5 parts per thousand and even withstand pulses of freshwater, which means they can also be found in estuaries of freshwater rivers.[46]
Long-term effects of invasion[edit]
Lionfish have successfully pioneered the coastal waters of the Atlantic in less than a decade and pose a major threat to reef ecological systems in these areas. A study comparing their abundance from Florida to North Carolina with several species of groupers found they were second only to the native scamp grouper and equally abundant to the graysby, gag, and rock hind.[3] This could be due to a surplus of resource availability resulting from the overfishing of lionfish predators like grouper.[47] Although the lionfish has not expanded to a population size currently causing major ecological problems, their invasion in the United States coastal waters could lead to serious problems in the future. One likely ecological impact caused by Pterois could be their impact on prey population numbers by directly affecting food web relationships. This could ultimately lead to reef deterioration and could negatively influence Atlantic trophic cascade.[9] Lionfish have already been shown to overpopulate reef areas and display aggressive tendencies, forcing native species to move to waters where conditions might be less than desirable.[3]
Lionfish could be decreasing Atlantic reef diversity by up to 80%.[28] In July 2011, lionfish were reported for the first time in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Louisiana.[48] Sanctuary officials said they believe the species will be a permanent fixture, but hope to monitor and possibly limit their presence.
Since lionfish thrive so well in the Atlantic and the Caribbean due to nutrient-rich waters and lack of predators, the species has spread tremendously. A single lionfish, located on a reef, reduced young juvenile reef fish populations by 79%.[49]
Control and eradication efforts[edit]
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Red lionfish are an invasive species, yet relatively little information is still known about the animal. NOAA has research foci include investigating biotechnical solutions for control of the population, and understanding how the larvae are dispersed. Another important area of study is what controls the population in its native area. Researchers hope to discover what moderates lionfish populations in the Indo-Pacific and apply this information to control the invasive populations, without introducing additional invasive species.
Rigorous and repeated removal of lionfish from invaded waters could potentially control the exponential expansion of the lionfish in invaded waters.[3] A 2010 study showed effective maintenance would require the monthly harvest of at least 27% of the adult population. Because lionfish are able to reproduce monthly, this effort must be maintained throughout the entire year.[50]
Even to accomplish these numbers seems unlikely, but as populations of lionfish continue to grow throughout the Caribbean and Western Atlantic, actions are being taken to attempt to control the quickly growing numbers. In November 2010, for the first time the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary began licensing divers to kill lionfish inside the sanctuary in an attempt to eradicate the fish.
Conservation groups and community organizations in the Eastern United States have organized hunting expeditions for Pterois such as the Environment Education Foundation's ‘lionfish derby’ held annually in Florida.[51][51] Divemasters from Cozumel to the Honduran Bay Islands and at Reef Conservation International's headquarters off Punta Gorda, Belize, now routinely spear them during dives.
Lionfish as Food campaign[edit]
In 2010 NOAA, began a campaign to encourage the consumption of the fish.[39] The "Lionfish as Food" campaign encourages human hunting of the fish as the only form of control known to date. Encouraging the consumption of lionfish could not only help to maintain a reasonable population density, but also provide an alternative fishing source to other overfished populations, such as grouper and snapper. NOAA also encourages people to report lionfish sightings, to help track lionfish population dispersal.[52]
When properly filleted, the naturally venomous fish is safe to eat. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation provides advice to restaurant chefs on how they can incorporate the fish into their menus. The NOAA calls the lionfish a "delicious, delicately flavored fish" similar in texture to grouper.[51] Recipes for lionfish include deep frying, ceviche, jerky, and grilling.[53]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Pterois". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ a b National Geographic. "Lionfish".
- ^ a b c d e f g Whitfield PE, Hare J a, David AW, et al. Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions. 2006;9(1):53–64. Available at: http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/panama/documents/2006_Whitfield_et_al_Biol_Inv-1.pdf
- ^ Matsunuma, M. & Motomura, H. (2014): Pterois paucispinula, a new species of lionfish (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae) from the western Pacific Ocean. Ichthyological Research, Published online: 24 Dec 2014.
- ^ a b c d Morris, J. a, & Akins, J. L. (2009). Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Bahamian archipelago. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 86(3), 389–398. doi:10.1007/s10641-009-9538-8.
- ^ Randall JE, Allen GR, Steene RC (1997) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
- ^ a b c Morris, J. a, & Freshwater, D. W. (2007). Phenotypic variation of lionfish supraocular tentacles. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 83(2), 237–241. doi:10.1007/s10641-007-9326-2.
- ^ a b Church, J. E., & Hodgson, W. C. (2002). Adrenergic and cholinergic activity contributes to the cardiovascular effects of lionfish (Pterois volitans) venom. Toxicon, 40, 787–796.
- ^ a b c d Ruizcarus, R., Mathesonjr, R., Robertsjr, D., & Whitfield, P. (2006). The western Pacific red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Scorpaenidae), in Florida: Evidence for reproduction and parasitism in the first exotic marine fish established in state waters. Biological Conservation, 128(3), 384–390. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.012.
- ^ a b Fishelson, L. (1997). Experiments and observations on food consumption, growth and starvation in Dendrochirus brachypterus and Pterois volitans (Pteroinae, Atema, 1980) 391–403.
- ^ Karleskint, George; Turner, Richard L.; Small, James W. (2009). Introduction to Marine Biology. Cengage Learning. p. 276.
- ^ Jane J. Lee (24 February 2012). "Video: Huffing and Puffing For Dinner". ScienceNOW. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ a b Terry J. Donaldson, David Benavente, & Roxie Diaz (2010). "Why are lionfishes (Pterois, Scorpaenidae) so rare in their native ranges?". Proceedings of the 63rd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (November 1–5, 2010 San Juan, Puerto Rico) (Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute) (1–5 November): 352–359.
- ^ Maljković, a, Leeuwen, T. E., & Cove, S. N. (2008). Predation on the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Pisces: Scorpaenidae), by native groupers in the Bahamas. Coral Reefs, 27(3), 501–501. doi:10.1007/s00338-008-0372-9.
- ^ Mark A. Albins & Mark A. Hixon (2008). "Invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans reduce recruitment of Atlantic coral-reef fishes". Marine Ecology Progress Series (Inter-Research) 367: 233–238. doi:10.3354/meps07620.
- ^ Ming Leung (19 August 2009). "SW11 Can Blue Cornetfish be used as Biocontrol?". Aquatic Invasive Species, Duke University. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ Pam Fuller (19 August 2009). "Pterois volitans/miles Fact Sheet". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS), United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ Bryan Hood (26 February 2015). "Lionfish stalked and devoured by grouper in shocking video". New York Post. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ J.A. Morris, Jr., and P.E. Whitfield (2009). "Biology, Ecology, Control and Management of the Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish: An Updated Integrated Assessment". NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 99. 57 pp.
- ^ Nicola S. Smith & Kathleen Sullivan Sealey (2007). "The Lionfish Invasion in the Bahamas: What do We Know and What to do About It?". Proceedings of the 60th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (November 5–9, 2007 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic) (Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute): 419–423.
- ^ Brian Handwerk (4 April 2011). "Shark's Lionfish Lunch". National Geographic Daily News. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Venomous Lionfish". Species of Mass Destruction. Season 01. Episode 02. 24 September 2013. The Science Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m71YH16wSUE. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ Trevor Poole (2011). "The sensitivity of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, to parasitism in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean". Physis (CIEE Research Station Bonaire Tropical Marine Ecology & Conservation Program) 9 (Spring): 44–49.
- ^ Cohen, A.S., Olek, A.J., 1989. An extract of lionfish (Pterois volitans) spine tissue contains acetylcholine and a toxin that affects neuromuscular transmission. Toxicon 27, 1367.
- ^ Sauners, P.R., Taylor, P.B., 1959. Venom of the lionfish Pterois volitans. Am. J. Physiol. 197, 437.
- ^ "Eat lionfish? Sure, but beware of the nasty toxins" 27 June 2012 NBC News
- ^ a b Schultz, ET. (1986). Pterois volitans and Pterois miles: Two valid species. Copeia 1986:686–690
- ^ a b c Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian Reef Fishes, Second Edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. p. 298.
- ^ Hamner, R.M, et al. 2007. Mitochondrial cytochrome b analysis reveals two invasive lionfish species with strong founder effects in the western Atlantic. Journal of Fish Biology. 71:214–222.
- ^ Whitfield, P; Gardner, T; Vives, SP; Gilligan, MR; Courtney Jr, WR; Ray, GC; Hare, JA (2003). "The Introduction and Dispersal of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Along the Atlantic Coast of North America.". In: SF Norton (ed). Diving for Science...2003. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (22nd Annual Scientific Diving Symposium). Retrieved 13 August 2008.
- ^ Goddard, Jacqui (20 October 2008). "Lionfish devastate Florida's native shoals". The Times. London. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "Mystery of the Lionfish: Don't Blame Hurricane Andrew". Science (Journal). 29 April 2010.
- ^ Schofield, P.J. 2009. geographic extent and chronology of the invasion of non-native lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Aquatic Invasions 4:473–479
- ^ a b c http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/lion03_blame.html
- ^ Whitfield, P.E., et al. 2002. Biological invasion of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans along the Atlantic coast of North America. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 235:289–297.
- ^ http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/lionfish-catch/ref name="nnbarb">"Lionfish found here". NationNews. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ Lasso-Alcalá, O.; Posada, J. (2010). "Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758), on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea". Aquatic Invasions 5: S53. doi:10.3391/ai.2010.5.S1.013. edit
- ^ Whitfield, P.E., et al. 2007. Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions 9:53–64.
- ^ a b Nigel Williams (2010). "Major lionfish hunt launched". Current Biology 20 (23): R1005–R1006. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.11.048.
- ^ Baltz, D.M., 1991. Introduced fishes in marine systems and inland seas. Biol. Conserv. 56, 151–177.
- ^ Cowen, R.K. et al. 2006. Scaling of connectivity in marine populations. Science 311: 522–526.
- ^ Whitfield, Paula E., Jonathan A. Hare, Andrew W. David, Stacey L. Harter, Roldan C. Muñoz,and Christine M. Addison. (2007). Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions 9: 53- 64.
- ^ a b c Kimball, Me, Jm Miller, Pe Whitfield, and Ja Hare. "Thermal Tolerance and Potential Distribution of Invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles Complex) on the East Coast of the United States." Marine Ecology Progress Series 283 (2004): 269–78.
- ^ Whitfield, Pe, T. Gardner, Sp Vives, Mr Gilligan, Wr Courtenay Ray, Gc Ray, and Ja Hare. "Biological Invasion of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish Pterois volitans along the Atlantic Coast of North America." Marine Ecology Progress Series 235 (2002): 289–97.
- ^ Wilson Freshwater, D., Hines, A., Parham, S., Wilbur, A., Sabaoun, M., Woodhead, J., et al. (2009). Mitochondrial control region sequence analyses indicate dispersal from the US East Coast as the source of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans in the Bahamas. Marine Biology, 156(6), 1213–1221. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1163-8.
- ^ Shammas, Brittany (18 June 2014). "Palm Beach County girl credited for breakthrough in lionfish research". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ Davis MA, Grime JP, Thompson K (2000) Fluctuating resources in plant communities: a general theory of invasibility. J Ecol 88:528–534
- ^ "Lionfish Invastion Reaches Gulf Marine Sanctuary". 5 August 2011.
- ^ http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2010/apr/lionfish-invasion-continuing-expand
- ^ Morris, J.A., and Shertzer, K.A. 2011. A stage-based matrix population model of invasive lionfish with implications for control. Biological Invasions 13:7–12.
- ^ a b c Major lionfish hunt Q & A Lars Chittka. (1992). Current Biology, 1005–1006.
- ^ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science "Have You Seen Me?"
- ^ http://www.lionfishhunter.com/Lionfish%20Recipes.html
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pterois&oldid=653118220 |
Pterois, commonly known as lionfish, is a genus of venomous marine fish found mostly in the Indo-Pacific. Pterois is characterized by red, white, creamy, or black bands, showy pectoral fins and venomous spiky fin rays.[1][2]Pterois are classified into nine different species, but Pterois radiata, Pterois volitans and Pterois miles are the most commonly studied. Pterois are popular aquarium fish and are readily utilized in the culinary world.[1]
Contents |
Species
There are currently 10 recognized species in this genus:[3]
- Pterois andover G. R. Allen & Erdmann, 2008
- Pterois antennata (Bloch, 1787) (Spotfin lionfish)
- Pterois brevipectoralis (Mandritsa, 2002)
- Pterois lunulata Temminck & Schlegel, 1843 (Luna lionfish)
- Pterois miles (J. W. Bennett, 1828) (Devil firefish)
- Pterois mombasae (J. L. B. Smith, 1957) (Frillfin turkeyfish)
- Pterois radiata G. Cuvier, 1829 (Clearfin lionfish)
- Pterois russelii E. T. Bennett, 1831 (Soldier lionfish, red volitans lionfish)
- Pterois sphex D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1903 (Hawaiian turkeyfish)
- Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) (Red lionfish, volitans lionfish)
Description
Pterois range in size from 6.2 to 42.4 cm with typical adults measuring 38 cm and weighing an average of 480 g.[2][4][5] They are well known for their ornate beauty, venomous spines and unique tentacles.[6][7] Juvenile lionfish have a unique tentacle located above their eye sockets that varies in phenotype between species.[6] It is suggested that the evolution of this tentacle serves to continually attract new prey; studies also suggest that it plays a role in sexual selection.[6]
Ecology and behavior
Pterois can live from five to fifteen years and have complex courtship and mating behaviors.[8] Females release two mucus-filled egg clusters frequently, which can contain as many as fifteen thousand eggs.[8][9] Studies on Pterois reproductive habits have increased significantly in the past decade.[9]
Prey
According to a study that involved the dissection of over 1,400 lionfish stomachs from Bahamian to North Carolinian waters, Pterois prey mostly on small fish, invertebrates and mollusks in large amounts, with some specimens’ stomachs containing up to six different species of prey.[4] The amount of prey in lionfish stomachs over the course of the day suggest that lionfish feed most actively from 7:00–11:00 am, with decreased feeding throughout the afternoon. Lionfish are skilled hunters, using specialized bilateral swim bladder muscles to provide exquisite control of location in the water column, allowing the fish to alter its center of gravity to better attack prey.[4] The lionfish then spreads its large pectoral fins and swallows its prey in a single motion.[8] Researchers have also noted that lionfish blow jets of water while approaching prey, apparently in order to disorient them.[10]
Predators and parasites
Aside from instances of larger lionfish individuals engaging in cannibalism on smaller individuals, adult lionfish have few identified natural predators. This is likely due to the effectiveness of their venomous spines. Moray eels (family Muraenidae),[11] bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii) and large groupers, like the tiger grouper (Mycteroperca tigris)[12] and Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), have been observed preying on lionfish.[13][14][15] It remains unknown, however, as to how commonly these predators prey on lionfish.[16] Sharks are also believed to be capable of preying on lionfish with no ill-effects from its spines.[17] Park officials of the Roatan Marine Park in Honduras have attempted to train sharks to feed on lionfish as of 2011 in an attempt to control the invasive populations in the Caribbean.[18] Predators of larvae and juvenile lionfish remain unknown, but may prove to be the primary limiting factor of lionfish populations in their native range.[11]
Parasites of lionfish have rarely been observed and is assumed to be infrequent. They include isopods and leeches.[19]
Hazard to humans
Lionfish are known for their venomous fin rays, a feature that is uncommon among marine fish in the East Coast coral reefs. The potency of their venom makes them excellent predators and poisonous to fishermen and divers.[2]Pterois venom produced negative inotropic and chronotropic effects when tested in both frog and clam hearts[20] and has a depressing effect on rabbit blood pressure.[21] These results are thought to be due to nitric oxide release.[7] In humans, Pterois venom can cause systemic effects such as extreme pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, breathing difficulties, convulsions, dizziness, redness on the affected area, headache, numbness, paresthesia (pins and needles) and sweating. Rarely, such stings can cause temporary paralysis of the limbs, heart failure and even death. Fatalities are common in very young children, the elderly, those with a weak immune system or those who are allergic to their venom. Their venom is rarely fatal to healthy humans, but some species have enough venom to produce extreme discomfort for over a period of several days. However, Pterois venom is a danger to allergic victims as they may experience anaphylaxis, a serious and often life threatening condition that requires immediate emergency medical treatment. Severe allergic reactions to Pterois venom include chest pain, severe breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure, swelling of the tongue, sweating, runny nose, or slurred speech. Such reactions can be fatal if not treated.
Native range and habitat
The lionfish is a predator native to the Indo-Pacific. It aggressively preys on small fish and invertebrates. They can be found around the seaward edge of reefs and coral, in lagoons, and on rocky surfaces to fifty meters. They show a preference for turbid inshore areas and in harbors.[22] Lionfish have a generally hostile attitude and are territorial towards other reef fish.[23] Many universities in the Indo-Pacific have documented reports of Pterois aggression towards divers and researchers.[23]
Invasive introduction and range
Two of the nine species of Pterois, the red lionfish (P. volitans) and the common lionfish (P. miles), have established themselves as significant invasive species off the East Coast of the United States and in the Caribbean. About 93% of the invasive population is P. volitans.[24]
The red lionfish is found off the East Coast of the United States and the Caribbean Sea, and was likely first introduced off the Florida coast in the early to mid-1990s.[25] It has been speculated that this introduction may have been caused when Hurricane Andrew destroyed an aquarium in southern Florida,[26] It is also believed that six lionfish were accidentally released in Biscayne Bay, Florida after Hurricane Andrew in 1992.[27] However, a more recent report states National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ecologist James Morris Jr. has discovered that a lionfish was discovered off the coast of south Florida prior to Hurricane Andrew in 1985.[28][29] It is also believed that the lionfish were purposefully discarded by unsatisfied aquarium enthusiasts.[27] The first documented capture of lionfish in the Atlantic occurred in Dania Beach, Florida.[4] In 2001, NOAA documented multiple sightings of lionfish off the coast of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Bermuda, and were first detected in the Bahamas in 2004.[30] Recently (late November 2011) they have been discovered as far east as Barbados,[31] and as far south as Los Roques Archipelago and many Venezuelan continental beaches.[32]
Pterois volitans and Pterois miles are native to sub-tropical and tropical regions from southern Japan and southern Korea to the east coast of Australia, Indonesia, Micronesia, French Polynesia and in the South Pacific Ocean.[22] Adult lionfish specimens are now found along the United States East Coast from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Florida, and in Bermuda, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean, including the Turks and Caicos, Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Cayman Islands, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Belize, Honduras and Mexico.[2] Population densities continue to increase in the invaded areas, resulting in a population boom of up to 700% in some areas between 2004 and 2008.[33] Population densities have reached levels that are orders of magnitude greater than their native ranges.[34]
Pterois are known for devouring many other aquarium fishes.[27]Pterois are unusual in that they are among the few fish species to successfully establish populations in open marine systems.[35]
Pelagic larval dispersion is assumed to occur through oceanic currents, including the Gulf Stream and the Caribbean Current. It is projected that currents could eventually result in new populations along the Gulf Coast.[36] Ballast water can also be attributed to the dispersal.[37]
Extreme temperatures present geographical constraints in the distribution of aquatic species,[38] indicating that temperature tolerance plays a role in the lionfish’s survival, reproduction and range of distribution.[39] Observational studies have shown that the abrupt differences in water temperatures north and south of Cape Hatteras directly correlate with the abundance and distribution of Pterois.[38]Pterois expanded along the entire eastern coast of the United States and occupied thermal-appropriate zones within ten years.[38] Although the timeline of observations points to the east coast of Florida as the initial source of the western Atlantic invasion, the relationship of the United States East Coast and Bahamian lionfish invasion is uncertain.[40]
Control and eradication efforts
The population density of the invasive lionfish is increasing very fast, and efforts are underway in several areas to bring it under control. However, to completely eradicate the lionfish from its new habitats seems unlikely. A study from 2010 using population modeling used data collected about the known life history of the lionfish inhabiting the Caribbean coral reefs to figure out the best means of eradication. The study showed that the most effective way to even maintain current lionfish population densities, at least 27% of the invasive adult populations would have to be killed monthly. The fact that lionfish are able to reproduce monthly throughout the entire year means that this is an effort that must be maintained monthly for the maintenance of current population densities.[41]
Even to accomplish these numbers seems unlikely, but as populations of lionfish continue to grow throughout the Caribbean and Western Atlantic, actions are being taken to attempt to control the quickly growing numbers. In November 2010, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary began to give out licenses to divers to kill lionfish inside of the sanctuary. This is the first time this has ever been done for any species in the sanctuary, in a desperate attempt to eradicate the fish. Rigorous and repeated removal of lionfish from invaded waters will be necessary to establish control on the exponentially expanding population.[2] Many conservation groups across the Eastern United States are organizing hunting expeditions for Pterois. The Environment Education Foundation recently hosted its third ‘lionfish derby’ in Florida, offering more than $3,000 in prize money for dive teams catching the most lionfish.[42] Community organizations are forming across the country in hopes of halting the ever expanding lionfish population.[42] Divemasters from Cozumel to the Honduran Bay Islands routinely spear Lionfish during dives, sometimes killing as many as eight in an hour. Based on average kills per dive, a professional diver could easily kill 3000 to 4000 Lionfish per year (3 dives per day, 6 days per week, averaging 4+ kills per dive).[citation needed]
Other interest groups, such as NOAA, are setting up events and campaigns that encourage the killing and eating of the fish.[34] Many people are wary of the idea of eating a venomous fish, but when properly filleted the fish is perfectly healthy to eat. Encouraging the consumption of lionfish could not only help to maintain a reasonable population density, but also provide an alternative fishing source to other overfished populations, such as grouper and snapper. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation has even prepared a cookbook to help educate restaurant chefs on how they can incorporate the fish into their menu. The NOAA calls the lionfish a "delicious, delicately flavored fish" similar in texture to grouper.[42] Many recipes for lionfish can be found in coastal cookbooks, some including fried lionfish, lionfish ceviche, lionfish jerky and grilled lionfish.[43]
The invasiveness of the red lionfish is an extreme problem, and relatively little information is still known about the animal. The NOAA has research foci in place to better understand the fish and the implications surround its invasive nature. Some of these include investigating biotechnical solutions for control of the population, and understanding how the larvae are dispersed. Another important area of study is how the population is controlled in its native area. If we find out why it is not out of control in the Indo-Pacific, we may be able to implement a similar concept into the invasive populations, without causing unintended results such as another invasive species. NOAA also plans to further its "Lionfish as Food" campaign, as human hunting of the fish is the only known current form of control. The NOAA also encourages people to report lionfish sightings to help keep a better record of dispersal.[44]
Long term effects of invasion
Lionfish have successfully pioneered the coastal waters of the Atlantic in less than a decade and pose a major threat to reef ecological systems in these areas. A study published in 2006 comparing their abundance from Florida to North Carolina with several species of groupers found that they were second only to the native scamp grouper and equally abundant to the graysby, gag, and rock hind.[2] This could be due to a surplus of resource availability resulting from the over-fishing of lionfish predators like grouper.[45] Although the lionfish has not expanded to a population size that is currently causing major ecological problems, their invasion in the United States coastal waters could lead to serious problems in the future. One likely ecological impact caused by Pterois could be their impact on prey population numbers by directly affecting food web relationships. This could ultimately lead to reef deterioration and could negatively influence Atlantic trophic cascade.[8] It has already been shown that lionfish overpopulate reef areas and display aggressive tendencies; forcing native species to move to waters where conditions might be less than desirable.[2] Studies show that lionfish could be decreasing Atlantic reef diversity by up to 80%.[23] In July 2011, lionfish were reported for the first time in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Louisiana.[46] Sanctuary officials said they believe the species will be a permanent fixture, but hope to monitor and possibly limit their presence.
See also
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References
- ^ a b National Geographic. "Lionfish".
- ^ a b c d e f g Whitfield PE, Hare J a, David AW, et al. Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions. 2006;9(1):53–64. Available at: http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/panama/documents/2006_Whitfield_et_al_Biol_Inv-1.pdf
- ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2012). Species of Pterois in FishBase. December 2012 version.
- ^ a b c d Morris, J. a, & Akins, J. L. (2009). Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Bahamian archipelago. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 86(3), 389–398. doi:10.1007/s10641-009-9538-8.
- ^ Randall JE, Allen GR, Steene RC (1997) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
- ^ a b c Morris, J. a, & Freshwater, D. W. (2007). Phenotypic variation of lionfish supraocular tentacles. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 83(2), 237–241. doi:10.1007/s10641-007-9326-2.
- ^ a b Church, J. E., & Hodgson, W. C. (2002). Adrenergic and cholinergic activity contributes to the cardiovascular effects of lionfish (Pterois volitans) venom. Toxicon, 40, 787–796.
- ^ a b c d Ruizcarus, R., Mathesonjr, R., Robertsjr, D., & Whitfield, P. (2006). The western Pacific red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Scorpaenidae), in Florida: Evidence for reproduction and parasitism in the first exotic marine fish established in state waters. Biological Conservation, 128(3), 384–390. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.012.
- ^ a b Fishelson, L. (1997). Experiments and observations on food consumption, growth and starvation in Dendrochirus brachypterus and Pterois volitans (Pteroinae, Atema, 1980) 391–403.
- ^ Jane J. Lee (24 February 2012). "Video: Huffing and Puffing For Dinner". ScienceNOW. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ a b Terry J. Donaldson, David Benavente, & Roxie Diaz (2010). "Why are lionfishes (Pterois, Scorpaenidae) so rare in their native ranges?". Proceedings of the 63rd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (November 1–5, 2010 San Juan, Puerto Rico) (Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute) (1–5 November): 352–359.
- ^ Maljković, a, Leeuwen, T. E., & Cove, S. N. (2008). Predation on the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Pisces: Scorpaenidae), by native groupers in the Bahamas. Coral Reefs, 27(3), 501–501. doi:10.1007/s00338-008-0372-9.
- ^ Mark A. Albins & Mark A. Hixon (2008). "Invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans reduce recruitment of Atlantic coral-reef fishes". Marine Ecology Progress Series (Inter-Research) 367: 233–238. doi:10.3354/meps07620.
- ^ Ming Leung (19 August 2009). "SW11 Can Blue Cornetfish be used as Biocontrol?". Aquatic Invasive Species, Duke University. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ Pam Fuller (19 August 2009). "Pterois volitans/miles Fact Sheet". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS), United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ J.A. Morris, Jr., and P.E. Whitfield (2009). "Biology, Ecology, Control and Management of the Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish: An Updated Integrated Assessment". NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 99. 57 pp.
- ^ Nicola S. Smith & Kathleen Sullivan Sealey (2007). "The Lionfish Invasion in the Bahamas: What do We Know and What to do About It?". Proceedings of the 60th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (November 5–9, 2007 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic) (Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute): 419–423.
- ^ Brian Handwerk (4 April 2011). "Shark's Lionfish Lunch". National Geographic Daily News. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ Trevor Poole (2011). "The sensitivity of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, to parasitism in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean". Physis (CIEE Research Station Bonaire Tropical Marine Ecology & Conservation Program) 9 (Spring): 44–49.
- ^ Cohen, A.S., Olek, A.J., 1989. An extract of lionfish (Pterois volitans) spine tissue contains acetylcholine and a toxin that affects neuromuscular transmission. Toxicon 27, 1367.
- ^ Sauners, P.R., Taylor, P.B., 1959. Venom of the lionfish Pterois volitans. Am. J. Physiol. 197, 437.
- ^ a b Schultz, ET. (1986). Pterois volitans and Pterois miles: Two valid species. Copeia 1986:686–690
- ^ a b c Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian Reef Fishes, Second Edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. p. 298.
- ^ Hamner, R.M, et al. 2007. Mitochondrial cytochrome b analysis reveals two invasive lionfish species with strong founder effects in the western Atlantic. Journal of Fish Biology. 71:214–222.
- ^ Whitfield, P; Gardner, T; Vives, SP; Gilligan, MR; Courtney Jr, WR; Ray, GC; Hare, JA (2003). "The Introduction and Dispersal of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Along the Atlantic Coast of North America.". In: SF Norton (ed). Diving for Science...2003. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (22nd Annual Scientific Diving Symposium). Retrieved 13 August 2008.
- ^ Goddard, Jacqui (20 October 2008). "Lionfish devastate Florida's native shoals". The Times. London. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ a b c http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/lion02_invade.html
- ^ "Mystery of the Lionfish: Don't Blame Hurricane Andrew". Science (Journal). 29 April 2010.
- ^ Schofield, P.J. 2009. geographic extent and chronology of the invasion of non-native lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Aquatic Invasions 4:473–479
- ^ Whitfield, P.E., et al. 2002. Biological invasion of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans along the Atlantic coast of North America. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 235:289–297.
- ^ "Lionfish found here". NationNews. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ Lasso-Alcalá, O.; Posada, J. (2010). "Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758), on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea". Aquatic Invasions 5: S53. doi:10.3391/ai.2010.5.S1.013. edit
- ^ Whitfield, P.E., et al. 2007. Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions 9:53–64.
- ^ a b Nigel Williams (2010). "Major lionfish hunt launched". Current Biology 20 (23): R1005–R1006. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.11.048.
- ^ Baltz, D.M., 1991. Introduced fishes in marine systems and inland seas. Biol. Conserv. 56, 151–177.
- ^ Cowen, R.K. et al. 2006. Scaling of connectivity in marine populations. Science 311: 522–526.
- ^ Whitfield, Paula E., Jonathan A. Hare, Andrew W. David, Stacey L. Harter, Roldan C. Muñoz,and Christine M. Addison. (2007). Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions 9: 53- 64.
- ^ a b c Kimball, Me, Jm Miller, Pe Whitfield, and Ja Hare. "Thermal Tolerance and Potential Distribution of Invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles Complex) on the East Coast of the United States." Marine Ecology Progress Series 283 (2004): 269–78.
- ^ Whitfield, Pe, T. Gardner, Sp Vives, Mr Gilligan, Wr Courtenay Ray, Gc Ray, and Ja Hare. "Biological Invasion of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish Pterois volitans along the Atlantic Coast of North America." Marine Ecology Progress Series 235 (2002): 289–97.
- ^ Wilson Freshwater, D., Hines, A., Parham, S., Wilbur, A., Sabaoun, M., Woodhead, J., et al. (2009). Mitochondrial control region sequence analyses indicate dispersal from the US East Coast as the source of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans in the Bahamas. Marine Biology, 156(6), 1213–1221. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1163-8.
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- ^ a b c Major lionfish hunt Q & A Lars Chittka. (1992). Current Biology, 1005–1006.
- ^ http://www.lionfishhunter.com/Lionfish%20Recipes.html
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- ^ "Lionfish Invastion Reaches Gulf Marine Sanctuary". 5 August 2011.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pterois&oldid=547727691 |
Species of the genus Pterois (more commonly known as lionfish, turkeyfish, dragonfish) belong to the family Scorpaenidae which includes many known species of venomous marine fish that can live up to 15 years and be up to 40cm standard length. Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific however, in 1992 an invasion of P. volitans and P. miles broke out in Key Biscayne, Florida. Today, lionfish have spread all around the Caribbean with several sightings as far north on the Gulf Stream as Rhode Island and Bermuda (Schofield 2009). Efforts to control the populations of P. volitans and P. miles include exemption of fishing permits and limits in the state of Florida as well as community-run derbies. Lionfish are also being served as a delicacy in restaurants.
Characterized by conspicuous red, white, and black aposematism, or warning colorations, Pterois have numerous (12-13) dorsal spines, 3 anal spines, and 9-11 frilly fin rays (Eschmeyer 1986) that differentiate them from other Scorpaeniformes. The most notable feature of the genus Pterois are the venomous spines located dorsally and anally on the body of the fish. The colorful spines contain toxins and fin rays are used to attract prey and mates. Lionfish pectoral and pelvic fins are spread latero-ventrally while keeping the dorsal fin erect which deters frontal assaults by predators. Pteroine toxins significantly prevent predation and in many instances kill test fish within 30 minutes of injection (Bernadsky and Goulet 1991). At the base of each spine is a venom gland that feeds a narrow groove up the length of the spine. When the spine is depressed, an integumentary sheath exposes the neurotoxin into the puncture wound (Attis 2010).
Depth range based on 590 specimens in 9 taxa.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 347 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0.15 - 449.265
Temperature range (°C): 20.374 - 29.264
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.016 - 10.882
Salinity (PPS): 32.200 - 40.307
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.138 - 5.079
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.073 - 1.043
Silicate (umol/l): 0.736 - 17.115
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0.15 - 449.265
Temperature range (°C): 20.374 - 29.264
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.016 - 10.882
Salinity (PPS): 32.200 - 40.307
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.138 - 5.079
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.073 - 1.043
Silicate (umol/l): 0.736 - 17.115
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Rights holder/Author | Ocean Biogeographic Information System |
Source | http://www.iobis.org/mapper/?taxon_id=501069 |
Most species of Pterois are reef associated, hiding under rocky outcroppings during the day and moving to deeper water to hunt at night. Pterois volitans and Pterois miles are also mangrove associated, sometimes migrating up estuarine systems into low salinity environments. Usually distributed between 1m and 60m deep, however, some species have been recorded as deep as 300m (REEF 2012) indicating great capability to adapt to numerous conditions. Over the course of ten months, individuals have been recorded to move only an average of 28m, exhibiting high site fidelity (Jud and Layman 2012) and contributing heavily to shaping the community structure along coastline habitats.
Individuals of the genus Pterois primarily eat smaller reef fishes as well as crustaceans actively and almost continuously throughout the course of a day with decreased feeding activity during the afternoon. The presence of a bilateral swim bladder aids in highly skilled maneuvering and ambush of prey (Morris and Akins 2009). Often a jet of water is used to disorient and distract prey before they are ingested in one swift motion, usually head first (Albins and Lyons 2012).
Sharks and the cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii, are suggested as natural predators (Steinitz 1959) whereas green moray, Gymnothorax funebris, and native groupers have been known to ingest injured lionfish in the Bahamas (Maljkovic et al. 2008).