ADW: Lionfish_pair.jpg

Identification

Pterois

Permissions for Use

Location

Luzon Island, Philippines

Caption

This pair of six-inch lionfish (Pterois species) have their fins and venomous spines fanned out in a defensive posture. The venom apparatus consists of thirteen dorsal spines, three anal spines, and two pelvic spines. As with most poisonous sea creatures, they are almost fearless and make little effort to elude the camera. Typically easy to spot, lionfish slowly move just above the reef floor or hover near coral heads or in crevices.

Contributors

Jeffrey N. Jeffords (photographer; copyright holder; identification)

To cite this page: Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2012. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org.

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DUE-0633095 and DRL-0628151.
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