Lionfish
Pterois volitans
Sighting evidence at Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, Apia, Samoa
Photo: 808_Diver · CC BY-NC
Red lionfish are native across the Indo-Pacific and at Palolo Deep they occupy crevices along the sinkhole walls from about 10 m down to the sandy bottom, emerging after dusk to hunt small reef fish by corralling prey against the coral face. Their venomous spines make them apex ambush predators in this microhabitat, and their density here reflects the high small-fish biomass that the reserve's protection sustains.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Lionfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.