Lionfish

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Lionfish in Red Sea near Hurghada

Lionfish, Peleliu, Palau

Lionfish at the Dallas World Aquarium

A Lionfish is any of several species of venomous marine fish in the genera Pterois, Parapterois, Brachypterois, Ebosia or Dendrochirus, of the family Scorpaenidae. The lionfish is also known as the Turkey Fish, Dragon Fish, and Scorpion Fish. [1] The lionfish are voracious predators. When they are hunting, they corner prey using their large fins and then use their lightning quick reflexes to swallow the prey whole. They are notable for their extremely long and separated spines, and have a generally striped appearance, red, brown,orange, black, or white.

The group of fishes has been classified as a subfamily (Pteroinae) or as a tribe under Scorpaeninae (Pteroini).

While the hardiness and disease resistance of the lionfish make their care relatively simple, the venom of the spines is extremely painful, and lionfish are recommended for only the careful aquarist.

The lionfish is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific region of the world, but various species can be found worldwide. Due to a recent introduction, the lionfish has recently been spotted in the warmer coral regions of the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.[2] Successful breeding of the lionfish in captivity has not been reported.

1 Habitat
2 Venom
- 2.1 Response
3 Species
- 3.1 Genus Pterois
- 3.2 Genus Dendrochirus
4 Culinary Uses
5 Trivia
6 Gallery
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Habitat

Lionfish are usually found in the Indo-Pacific, near and offshore coral and rocky reefs. There have also been sightings of lionfish in the Eastern Atlantic coast from Long Island to Florida. Lionfish can also be found in bays, estuaries, and even harbors. They show a clear preference for ledges, caves, and crevices, by day. Although they have been spotted a few times feeding during the day, it is believed that they are mostly nocturnal.

[edit] Venom

Lionfish are members of the scorpionfish family Scorpaenidae, and have venomous dorsal, pelvic and anal spines. Typically they have 12 to 13 dorsal spines, 2 pelvic spines and 3 anal spines. Each spine contain two grooves containing venom producing tissue. The ornate pectoral fins, though similar in appearance the dorsal fins, are not equipped with these glands.

The severity of an envenomation event may depend on the species and the size of the lionfish. The predominate effects of the lionfish venom are severe pain and swelling (edema) in the area around the wound. Other systematic responses such as nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, hypotension, and headache have been recorded either from the venom or as a reaction to level of pain.

In a series of 101 documented cases of captive lionfish envenomations in the US, the following effects were reported (Gallagher, 2001):

92% of patients experienced local pain
60% of patients experienced edema
13% of patients experienced systematic symptoms
1% of patients experienced tissue necrosis
0% of patients experienced death

In another study of 45 documented cases of captive lionfish envenomations reported to the San Francisco Poison Control Center over a 5 year span, the following effects were reported (Kizer, et al, 1985):

100% of patients experienced local pain
22% of patients experienced pain extending through the affected extremity
13% of patients experienced systemic symptoms
0% of patients experienced death

[edit] Response

Lionfish venom is comprised of thermolabile proteins which, as their name suggests, are vulnerable to heat and denature quite easily. First aid techniques are to immerse wound in hot water(43 – 45 °C) for 30 to 40 min or until pain diminishes.

[edit] Species

Clearfin lionfish, Pterois Radiata

[edit] Genus Pterois

Red lionfish Pterois volitans (Peacock lionfish, lionfish, red firefish)
Plaintail turkeyfish Pterois russelii
Broadbarred firefish Pterois antennata (Banded lionfish, Spotfin lionfish)
Radial firefish Pterois radiata (Clearfin lionfish, Tailbar lionfish, Whitefin lionfish, Clearfin Turkeyfish)
Hawaiian turkeyfish Pterois sphex (Hawaiian Lionfish)
Frillfin Turkeyfish Pterois mombasae
Luna lionfish Pterois lunulata
Pterois kodipungi

the lion fish feeds mainly on crustaceans and small fish

[edit] Genus Dendrochirus

Twospot turkeyfish Dendrochirus biocellatus (Twinspot lionfish)
Shortfin turkeyfish Dendrochirus brachypterus (Shortfin lionfish)
Zebra turkeyfish Dendrochirus zebra (Dwarf lionfish, Zebra lionfish)
Green Lionfish Dendrochirus barberi (Hawaiian Lionfish)
Bellus Lionfish Dendrochirus bellus

[edit] Culinary Uses

Though lionfish venom is dangerous, it is localized around the spines, making the fish rather safe to eat (c.f Fugu, where the toxin is present throughout the internal organs).

[edit] Trivia

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) keeps a pet lionfish named Livingston.

The James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me featured a red lionfish in Karl Stromberg's aquarium.

Despite being native to the Pacific, several hundred lionfish are living off the coast of Long Island, NY. They may threaten native species.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Gallery

Lionfish, Melbourne Aquarium	Lionfish in Andaman sea	Dwarf Lionfish in Papua New Guinea	Red lionfish, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Turkeyfish, Red Sea, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.