![]() Its rapid rate of reproduction, combined with the absence of natural enemies in those regions, resulted in its decimation of local reef fishes and its designation as an invasive species. In the early 21st century the species became established in reef ecosystems along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, in the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Sea. The red lionfish is native to South Pacific reef ecosystems. ![]() It is striped with red, brown, and white and grows to about 30 cm (12 inches) long. One of the best-known species is the red lionfish ( Pterois volitans), an impressive fish sometimes kept by fish fanciers. When disturbed, the fish spread and display their fins and, if further pressed, will present and attack with the dorsal spines. The fishes have enlarged pectoral fins and elongated dorsal fin spines, and each species bears a particular pattern of bold, zebralike stripes. They are noted for their venomous fin spines, which are capable of producing painful, though rarely fatal, puncture wounds. Lionfishes (Pterois) make up any of several species of showy Indo-Pacific fishes of the scorpion fish family, Scorpaenidae (order Scorpaeniformes).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |