Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) - red lionfish at a small patch reef.

Red lionfish are not native to the Bahamas or the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Their natural occurrence is in the central and western Pacific Ocean, plus the eastern Indian Ocean. In the Bahamas, they are a pest species (invasive species), accidentally introduced by a storm overwashing an aquarium collection. Red lionfish now occur along America's eastern seaboard. Lionfish spearfishing has been recently encouraged and practiced in the Bahamas (lionfish meat is edible for humans). Active lionfish spearfishing has attracted reef sharks, and they now seem to be "natural" predators on lionfish. This has resulted in lionfish becoming less common.

Lionfish spines have toxins that incapacitate or kill potential predators. The bold colored stripes on their bodies advertise their toxicity.

Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae