Lionfish
Pterois volitans
Sighting evidence at Million Dollar Point, Espiritu Santo
Photo: 808_Diver · CC BY-NC
Lionfish drape themselves across rusted machinery like ornate decorations, their fan-like pectoral fins herding small fish into corners before striking with a lightning-fast lunge. Venom-tipped spines serve as pure defense against predators, while their cryptic hovering behavior makes them devastatingly effective ambush hunters of reef fish and shrimp.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Lionfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.