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Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish: Pterois Volitans Invasion of the Western

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Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish: Pterois Volitans Invasion of the Western Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish: Pterois Volitans Invasion of the Western Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans Chris Biggs Fish 423-Invasion Ecology Fall, 2009 Diagnostic Information Common names: Red Lionfish, Turkeyfish, Red Firefish, Chali (Swahili) Class – Actinopterygii Order - Scorpaeniformes Family - Scorpaenidae Genus - Pterois Species– volitans Identification Guide Figure 1. P. volitans (Hare and Whitfield 2003). Red lionfish are most notably recognized by length of the fish. Eight spines and thirteen rays their ornate, feathery pectoral fins and their are present on the dorsal fin. Three spines and distinct coloration. Red stripes appear vertically six or seven rays are present on the anal fin. The along the head and throughout the body. They pelvic fins contain one spine and five rays. The are similar to other scorpion fish species and pectoral fins contain 15 rays. (Schultz 1986). share characters such as spiny protrusions and Further distinction between separate species of tentacles around the eyes and mouth (Schultz lionfish especially P. miles, can be difficult but 1986). The spines on the dorsal, anal and pelvic has been recently resolved. Spots present on fins are poisonous. Venom glands at the base of the dorsal, anal and caudal fins are generally these spines produce a variety of toxins, which larger in Pterois volitans compared to other can be lethal to other fish (Schultz 1986). The lionfish (Schultz 1986). Figure 2 and 3 shows standard length of lionfish is between 300 - the obvious differences between P. volitans and 380mm (11.8 - 15 inches), although some P. radiata and P. antennata. Differences individuals caught near the Florida coast have between P. volitans and P. miles are much more been larger (Whitfield et al. 2007). Lionfish difficult to discern and should be verified by an have cycloid scales, which along with spine and expert. However, P. volitans is the only species ray counts can be used to distinguish it from recorded to be present in the Western Atlantic other congeners. The pectoral fins can range and Caribbean. from 50% to greater than 100% of the standard Figure 2. Red lionfish (Public Radio East 2009) Figure 1. and 2. Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans), tentacles below the eye, long pectoral fins and spots on anal and caudal fin can be used in identification. (Hare and Whitfield 2003) Figure 3. Spotfin lionfish (P. antennata) and radial firefish (P. radiata) both lack tentacles below the eye and have smaller or absent spots on caudal and anal fins. (Florida Museum of Natural History 2009) Life History and Ecology the two groups correlated to size with smaller lionfish eating more shrimp and larger lionfish The Red Lionfish lives in the warm waters of the eating a larger proportion of fish. Lionfish Indian and Western Pacific Oceans (Schultz either ambush or corral their prey by spreading 1986). They live solitary lives on and around their feathery pectoral fins (Morris and Akins coral reefs and patches of rocky substrate. They 2009). They ingest prey by rapidly opening typically range from 0-50m in depth (Schultz their mouth, which creates a great amount of 1986) and only during mating season (early to suction. This gape and suck tactic is used by mid spring) have been found to congregate in many species. groups (Ruiz-Carus et al. 2006). Females There is very little information on natural release a mucus egg sac, which is fertilized predators either in their natural or introduced externally. The egg sac rises to the surface and range. The pacific cornet fish has been reported begins degrading in order to release the eggs. The pelagic eggs and larvae grow for 30-40 days during which they are subject to dispersal via ocean currents. (Ruiz-Carus et al. 2006) Juveniles settle on solid substrate and tend to remain in a fairly localized area (Fishelson 1997). They are typically 10-12 mm in length at this point. Thermal tolerance limits for lionfish on the Eastern coast of the U.S. have been shown to be between 10-12C (Kimball et al. 2004). Cessation in feeding behavior occurred around 12C and death at about 10C. Ideal temperature range is between 20-30C. Currently no information on the fecundity of lionfish exists. Lifespan and age or size at maturity information is also unknown. The lionfish diet is composed of a wide variety of prey items including other lionfish (Albins Figure 4. Pacific cornetfish (left), one of the only and Hixon 2008). Morris and Akins (2009) documented predators of lionfish in their native showed that invasive Lionfish in the western range (Florida Museum of Natural History 2009) Atlantic were feeding on a variety of teleosts and grouper with ingested lionfish (Maljkovic and and some crustaceans. The variation between Van Leeuwen 2008). to feed on lionfish, but is limited by the size of Current Geographic Distribution its gape as illustrated in figure 4. Groupers feed on lionfish in their introduced range, but it is The native range of red lionfish lies in unclear to what extent (Maljkovic and Van the western Pacific from the southern end of Leeuwen 2008). Grouper are much more Japan to the east coast of Australia. East-west capable of eating full size lionfish as illustrated distribution ranges from Indonesia to the by figure 4. The lionfish eaten by the grouper Marquesas in the south Pacific (Schultz 1986). was found in the stomach in the position shown. In its introduced region the northern range limit Eating the fish head first can prevent the grouper of lionfish is North Carolina. The established from getting stung by the spines as they lay population continues south through Florida and down flat when pushed towards the tail-end of the eastern Caribbean. (Whitfield et al. 2002) the fish. Parasitism has not been well New populations have been spotted in the documented in lionfish neither in their native or western Caribbean from CanCun, Mexico to introduced range. There are few cases of ecto- Panama. It is not known if these populations parasites and only one involving an endo- have established and are reproducing. Juveniles parasite in lionfish near North Carolina (Morris have been spotted as far north as Rhode Island et al. 2008). The parasites documented were and New York, but they most likely are unable monogeneans, copepods and leeches. to survive the cold winter water temperatures (Kimball et al. 2004). Water temperature tends Figure 5. P. volitans native and non-native distribution (Florida Museum of Natural History 2009) invasions documented in the United States, only 30 were fully saltwater species (Fuller et al. 1999). One well documented and perhaps the only release event of lionfish occurred in 1992 during hurricane Andrew (Courtenay 1995). The lionfish released were housed in an aquarium that broke during the storm and six fish escaped into Biscayne Bay, Florida (Hamner et al. 2007). This release was confirmed by reports of lionfish sightings in the days after the storm. Figure 6. Non-native distribution of lionfish P. volitans Lionfish have a perennial presence in the (USGS 2009). aquarium trade. They have been classified in the to dictate the limits of habitable territory for top ten ornamental fishes imported to the U.S., lionfish (Whitfield et al. 2007). Temperature an industry that brings in $3.05 million a month has confined lionfish to the northern limit of (Balboa 2003). This information makes it North Carolina, but there is no immediate unlikely that only one introduction event has temperature barrier to the south. Therefore the taken place, but it strongly implicates the spread of lionfish is expected to continue aquarium trade as the most important pathway. throughout the Caribbean and to South America. There are not any documented attempts to create Similarly, the west coast of the U.S. is not likely a lionfish fishery or aquaculture operation in the to see any establishment of lionfish. The water western Atlantic, so these pathways are not temperatures in the eastern Pacific are too cold credited with the invasion (Hare and Whitfield for lionfish to survive. If they are introduced in 2003). Ballast water is well accepted as a major to those waters, it would be more likely they vector of invasive species (Wonham et al. 2000). could survive south of Mexico and the west However, no known species have been coast of Central America. introduced to the western Atlantic from the Indo-Pacific via this vector so it is also unlikely History of Invasiveness that shipping was the cause (Hare and Whitfield 2003). The red lionfish has had a relatively The rapid establishment and spread of lionfish is short, although impressive invasion history. the result of a combination of factors, none of Historically, marine fish invasions have not been which are exceedingly steadfast. First, there are very prevalent or successful. With over 500 fish few known predators of lionfish in their native range, let alone in their introduced range. Impact Further, poisonous spines deter would be predators that may not have any experience The invasion of lionfish has been so recent and dealing with this defense mechanism. This has developed so fast that little information is allowed lionfish to inhabit any suitable habitat available on the impact they have exerted on the without regard to predation pressure. ecosystem. Given the scenario it is reasonable Attempts to determine the total number of that lionfish are capable of having a large lionfish in the western Pacific and Caribbean are impact. Studies of lionfish in the Bahamas currently underway. Measuring or estimating showed that the presence of lionfish resulted in the abundance of lionfish has been difficult since decreased recruitment of reef fish by up to 80% the amount of effort in counting has varied each (Albins and Hixon 2008).
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