when was the lionfish discovered

When and how was the lionfish introduced?

Lionfish were introduced to the Atlantic Coast of Florida in the 1980s by either release or escape from marine aquariums. Many populations of reef fishes have declined in areas invaded by Lionfish, and efforts to control their spread have been largely ineffective.

How was lionfish discovered?

Biologists believe they were probably introduced when aquarium owners emptied unwanted pet lionfish into nearby coastal waters. Lionfish were first officially reported in the western Atlantic Ocean in 1985. Since 2004, these fish have spread very rapidly throughout the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Where are lionfish originally found?

Red lionfish are native to the reefs and rocky crevices of the Indo-Pacific, although they've found their way to warm ocean habitats worldwide. The largest of lionfish can grow to about 15 inches in length, but the average is closer to 1 foot.

Was the lionfish introduced accidentally?

Lionfish are a predatory fish that's native to the Pacific Ocean and were accidentally introduced to Atlantic Ocean waters in the early 1990s, and there became a voracious predator with no natural controls on its population.

When did lionfish come to Florida?

Lionfish were first reported off Florida's Atlantic Coast near Dania Beach in 1985.

When did lionfish get to Florida?

1980sLionfish, which are native to the Indo-Pacific , were first detected along Florida coasts in the mid-1980s. Their populations have swelled dramatically in the past 15 years. Lionfish are popular with aquarists, so it is plausible that repeated escapes into the wild via aquarium releases are the cause for the invasion.

Why is it called a lionfish?

Most likely the name comes from the long, flowing dorsal spines and wide pectoral fins with their bright white tips and bold red colors that resemble the regal mane of the male lion.

What eats a lion fish?

Lionfish have no natural predators in their invasive range. We're not entirely certain what eats lionfish in their native range, but it's most likely large predators like grouper, snapper, eels and sharks.

What is a lionfish for kids?

A lionfish is a venomous fish that has a brownish-red and white-striped body and sharp, spiny fins. The venom is a poisonous liquid that comes out from a lionfish's spines. Although it is venomous, the lionfish only uses its poisonous fins to protect itself from enemies.

Can you eat lionfish raw?

The most common ways to eat lionfish seem to be in ceviche, fried or raw, sushi or sashimi-style; my favorite is to eat lionfish sashimi – it needs little else than a bit of wasabi and soy sauce for my taste.

Do lionfish spines grow back?

Do Lionfish Spines Grow Back? If a lionfish damages its dorsal spines severely or too close to the base, then it's unlikely that they will grow back. However, if a lionfish damages its fins, they should regrow as long as their tank's water quality is good.

Are lionfish still a problem?

Are lionfish really all that bad? Yes. Non-native lionfish are a terrible problem in the Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf of Mexico, however they are not a problem in their native ranges of the Indian Ocean, Southern and Western Pacific Ocean and in the Red Sea.

How were lionfish introduced to the Atlantic?

How did the fish get to the Atlantic? While the exact cause is unknown, it's likely that humans provided a helping hand. Experts speculate that people have been dumping unwanted lionfish from home aquariums into the Atlantic Ocean for up to 25 years.

How did lionfish get to the Mediterranean Sea?

Due to the time and distance between the majority of sightings found in our study and that in Spain, we speculate that lionfish sighted here were mostly likely due to aquarium release without establishment prior to the ongoing current invasion via the Suez Canal.

What makes lionfish invasive?

Several characteristics of lionfish have allowed them to become invasive species: With venomous spines, lionfish have few natural predators in their native habitat, and no native predators in the Atlantic and Caribbean region.

Are lionfish still a problem?

Are lionfish really all that bad? Yes. Non-native lionfish are a terrible problem in the Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf of Mexico, however they are not a problem in their native ranges of the Indian Ocean, Southern and Western Pacific Ocean and in the Red Sea.

How to report lionfish sightings?

If you're out snorkeling, fishing, or diving and you see a lionfish, report the sighting to a park ranger. Reports can be made either to 305-809-4738, or by email. Finally, if you have a fish in your home aquarium that you can no longer take care of, don't release it into the wild.

How to catch lionfish?

Two methods are commonly used to capture lionfish: netting and spearing. Just remember that heavy gloves should be worn at all times when handling lionfish. Even if you're not equipped to capture lionfish, you can help by reporting your observations.

What do lionfish eat?

Lionfish feed on a wide variety of fishes and crustaceans , competing directly with native predators, such as snapper and grouper. Lionfish consume great quantities of fishes and invertebrates and cause harmful ecological impacts if their numbers go unchecked. Lionfish can target herbivorous fish that graze on algae.

What is the threat of lionfish?

Lionfish. Introduced lionfish can threaten the health of marine communities and pose a hazard to people. Native to Indo-Pacific waters, the lionfish ( Pterois volitan) is a venomous predatory fish that was introduced into Atlantic waters as early as the 1980s. Lionfish have the potential to impact the marine ecosystems of south Florida.

Where are lionfish in the Everglades?

Since 1992, lionfish have spread throughout the Caribbean, up the Atlantic coast, and around the Gulf of Mexico.

Is a lionfish sting painful?

In addition, lionfish stings, though rare, are painful and occasionally result in serious injury. The invasion of the lionfish is unprecedented, as it is currently the only known invasive marine fish recognized to have established itself throughout the Caribbean and the coastal waters of the southeastern United States.

When did lionfish go into the ocean?

Wildlife managers suspect that lionfish were deliberately released by pet owners into the ocean along Florida’s Atlantic coast starting in the 1980s, but damage to pet stores caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 may have also allowed others to escape.

What is the lionfish in the Pacific?

Several smaller Indo-Pacific scorpaenids of the genus Dendrochirus, such as the greenish to pinkish D. barberi of Hawaii and the reddish D. zebra of the Indian and Pacific oceans, are also considered lionfish by some sources. This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty, Editor.

Where do red lionfish live?

It is striped with red, brown, and white and grows to about 30 cm (12 inches) long. The red lionfish is native to South Pacific reef ecosystems. Red lionfish ( Pterois volitans ).

What is a lionfish's spine?

Lionfish are noted for their venomous fin spines, which are capable of producing painful, though rarely fatal, puncture wounds. The fishes have enlarged pectoral fins and elongated dorsal fin spines, and each species bears a particular pattern of bold, zebralike stripes.

Where are lionfish found?

In a new study, an international research team including the California Academy of Sciences presents four new records of lionfish off the coast of Brazil , confirming the invasion of the predatory fish into the South Atlantic for the first time.

Where is the Lionfish in North Carolina?

Lionfish, adult about 40 miles off the North Carolina coast in 140 feet of water (Summer 2001) - Photo by Paula Whitfield; NOAA, Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. Scientific Name:

What is the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute?

Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. The Invasive Lionfish Web Portal, developed by the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute in partnership with NOAA, supports the management and control of lionfish in conservation areas along the Southeast coast of the U.S. and Caribbean.

Where are lionfish native to?

Pterois radiata is endemic to the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. The lionfish is a predator native to the Indo-Pacific. It aggressively preys on small fish and invertebrates, which severely threatens the natural competition of aquatic life in the ocean.

Why is lionfish a food?

The "Lionfish as Food" campaign encourages human hunting of the fish as the only form of control known to date. Increasing the catch of lionfish could not only help maintain a reasonable population density, but also provide an alternative fishing source to overfished populations, such as grouper and snapper.

What is the difference between lionfish and pterois venom?

The potency of their venom makes them excellent predators and hazardous to fishermen and divers. Pterois venom produced negative inotropic and chronotropic effects when tested in both frog and clam hearts and has a depressive effect on rabbit blood pressure. These results are thought to be due to nitric oxide release. 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 adults, but some species have enough venom to produce extreme discomfort for a period of several days. However, Pterois venom poses 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.

How do lionfish work?

Lionfish are skilled hunters, using specialized bilateral swim bladder muscles to provide precise control of location in the water column, allowing the fish to alter its center of gravity to better attack prey. The lionfish then spreads its large pectoral fins and swallows its prey in a single motion.

Why do lionfish thrive in the Caribbean?

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%.

What are the predators of lionfish?

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 ), bluespotted cornetfish ( Fistularia commersonii ), and large groupers, such as the tiger grouper ( Mycteroperca tigris) and Nassau grouper ( Epinephelus striatus ), have been observed preying on lionfish. It remains unknown, however, how commonly these predators prey on lionfish. Sharks are also believed to be capable of preying on lionfish with no ill effects from their spines. 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. The Bobbit worm, an ambush predator, has been filmed preying upon lionfish in Indonesia. Predators of larvae and juvenile lionfish remain unknown, but may prove to be the primary limiting factor of lionfish populations in their native range.

Can lionfish cause trophic cascades?

This could ultimately lead to reef deterioration and could negatively influence Atlantic trophic cascade. 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 favorable.

Distribution and habitat

• Native Range: The South Pacific and Indian Oceans (i.e., the Indo-Pacific region). The range of the lionfish covers a very large area from western Australia and Malaysia east to French Polynesia and the United Kingdom's Pitcairn Islands, north to southern Japan and southern Korea and sout…

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Habitat

Ecology

Uses

Conservation status

Toxicity