Devil firefish, Common lionfish
Pterois miles, the devil firefish or common lionfish, is a species of ray-finned fish native to the western Indo-Pacific region. It is frequently confused with its close relative, the red lionfish (Pterois volitans). The scientific name is from Greek pteron, meaning "wing", and Latin miles, meaning "soldier".
The specific name miles is Latin for "soldier"; Bennett did not explain this, but it may be that the red colour reminded him of the red tunics worn by British soldiers in the 19th century.
Pi
PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
No
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe common lionfish grows up to 35 cm (14 in) in length. The dorsal fin has 13 long, strong spines and 9-11 soft rays, and the anal fin has three long spines and six or seven soft rays. The dorsal fin appears feathery and the pectoral fins are wing-like with separate broad, smooth rays. These fish vary in colour from reddish to tan or grey and have numerous thin, dark, vertical bars on their heads and bodies. Its head is less angular than that of P. volitans.
P. miles is native to the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea, to South Africa, and to Indonesia. Recorded first in 1991 in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel, following entry via the Suez Canal, it is now common in the eastern Basin, with recent observations in the Sicily channel. It is also now present off the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea where is regarded as an invasive species.
It is very similar in appearance to P. volitans, which does not occur in the Red Sea. P. miles is usually found in areas with crevices or lagoons, often on the outer slopes of coral reefs. Moray eels have recently been identified as natural predators of P. miles in its native habitat in the Red Sea. Some grouper species and reef sharks are also its predators.
The common lionfish is mainly nocturnal and hides in crevices during the daytime. It feeds on fish and small crustaceans. It has few predators, probably because of its venomous spines, but larger lionfish do prey on smaller ones. Moray eels have shown resistance to the spines and it was reported that lion fish are included in their diet. The bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii) has been shown to feed on it, as also do groupers in the Bahamas.
