Pterois

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Pterois

Pterois antennata

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Scorpaeniformes
Family:	Scorpaenidae
Subfamily:	Pteroinae
Genus:	Pterois Oken, 1817

Species

Pterois andover
Pterois antennata
Pterois cincta
Pterois cristatus
Pterois ellioti
Pterois geniserra
Pterois kodipungi
Pterois muricata
Pterois radiata
Pterois rebel
Pterois russelii
Pterois sphex
Pterois vittata
Pterois volitans
Pterois miles

et al.

Pterois is a genus of venomous marine fish found mostly in the Indo-Pacific. The fish of the genus Pterois has a pair of fan-shaped pectoral fins and a spiky first dorsal fin. These fins give the fish the appearance of a lion's mane, which makes lionfish their common name. The shape and coloring of its body provide it the ability to blend with the surroundings, which is usually called camouflage.

Pterois has several dorsal venomous spines; this venom is said to be painful, but the sting of a lionfish is not fatal for human beings. Both the mimicry and the venom are important defenses. When a predator identifies any Pterois in disguise with the habitat, the sting from its back will keep predators away for quite a long time. The body of most Pterois is dominated by the color maroon, or sometimes brown, with white stripes along the body and fins. Pterois lives in the Indian and Pacific oceans, especially in coral reefs. Pterois is popular as a marine aquarium fish.

Pteropterus has been reclassified into Pterois.

[edit] Pictorial identification

Clearfin Lionfish (Pterois radiata)

Volitan Lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Common Lionfish (Pterois miles)

[edit] References

"Pterois". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Mar 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
"Pteropterus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Mar 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.