Lionfish

Photo: 808_Diver · CC BY-NC

Unmistakable for their elaborate fan of venomous spines and flamboyant red-and-white striping, lionfish are ambush predators that drift motionless near reef structure before engulfing prey fish with a rapid strike. Native to the Indo-Pacific, they have become one of the most damaging invasive species in the Atlantic and Caribbean, where they lack natural predators and consume native reef fish at rates that have measurably reduced juvenile fish populations on some reefs. In their native range, their role is regulated by natural controls. Venom is delivered defensively through dorsal spines — not aggressive toward divers.