Lion fish and its meristic characteristics

The lionfish, a strikingly beautiful yet venomous marine species, is native to the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their vibrant red, white, and brown stripes and long, venomous spines, lionfish are predatory fish that have become invasive in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. They pose a significant threat to local ecosystems by preying on native fish species and disrupting the balance of marine habitats. Despite their venomous spines, lionfish are considered a delicacy in some cuisines, and efforts are underway to manage their populations through targeted fishing and consumption.

1. University of Chakwal, Pakistan

2. TOPIC: LIONFISH
PRESENTED BY : NEHA MUBEEN
REG NO: 20M-UOC/ZOL-45
SESSION 2020-2024
SUBJECT : ICHTHYLOGY
SUBMITTED TO: Dr SYEDA NADIA AHMED
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY

3. LIONFISH
Scientific Classification
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopeterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Pterois
Species P. Volitans
Figure 1.1 : Lionfish
(https://image.app.goo.gl.
com)

4. Introduction
•The red lionfish is venomous coral reefs fish
in family scorpaenidae.
•It is principally local to indo-pacific district ,
however has turned into a an obtrusive
species in Caribbean ocean, as well as along
the east bank of US and East Mediterranean
and furthermore tracked down in Brazil at
Fernando de Noronha (Maggioni et
al.,2023).
Figure 1.2: lionfish
(https://images.app.goo.gl/3Bd5z
MKfm8rvkNnn6)

5. Size
•Adult lionfish can grow a large as 47cm in
length , while juvenile are shorter than
2.5cm .
•Average lionfish live about 10 years.
( Morris et al., 2009).
Figure: 1.3 lionfish
(https://images.app.goo.gl/HTiEsh
UffoYfxj7v6)

6. Taxonomy
• The the red lionfish was first
officially portrayed in 1758 as
Gasterosteus volitans via Carl
Linnaeus in tenth version of his
systema Nature in which he gave
the short areas as Ambol Island in
Indonesia (Morris et al., 2012).
Figure:1.4 Lionfish
( https//www.google.com/img)

7. Distribution
P. volitans is local to the Indo-Pacific
region , including the western and focal
Pacific and off the shoreline of western
Australia (Green et al., 2012).
Figure 1.5: Lionfish
(https://images.app.goo.gl/3Bd5zM
Kfm8rvkNnn6)

8. Feeding Ecology
• Grown-up lionfish in the Bahamas
feed on in excess of 40 types of prey
fishes including little gobiids,
labrids, grammatids, apogonids, and
pomacentrids as well as adolescents
of bigger serranids, mullids,
lutjanids and other (Morris et al.,
2009).
Figure:1.6 lionfish
( https//www.google.com/img)

9. Reproduction
•They are mostly a singular animal types
and seeking is the main time they total,
by and large one male with a few
females.
•Both P. volitans and P. miles are
gonochoristic and just show sexual
dimorphism during generation ( Gardner
et al.,2015).
Figure:1.7 lionfish
(https/ /www.google.com/img)

10. Prey and predator
•Generally bigger Atlantic and Caribbean fish
and sharks that ought to have the option to eat
the lionfish have not remembered them as
prey, reasonable because of the oddity of the
fish in the attacked regions (Morris et al.,
2009).
Figure:1.8 lionfish
(https//www google.com/img)

11. Invasive species
•Two of the 15 types of Pterois, P. volitans and P. miles, have laid down
a good foundation for themselves as critical obtrusive species off the
East Shoreline of the US and in the Caribbean. Around 93% of the
intrusive lionfish populace is the red lionfish (Morris et al., 2009).

12. Impact To native Fish And coral reefs
•Grown-up lionfish are essentially fish-eaters and have not many
hunters beyond their home reach. Scientists have found that a
solitary lionfish living on a coral reef can lessen enlistment of local
reef fish by 79%. Lionfish feed on prey ordinarily consumed by
snappers, groupers, and other economically significant local species
(Morris et al., 2009).

13. Lionfish impact
•Lionfish ecological impact
•Lionfish socioeconomic impact

14. Unique adaptation
•They exhibit bioluminescence. Another cool
lionfish fact is that some deep-sea lionfish
species exhibit bioluminescence, a
fascinating adaptation that enables them to
produce their own light. This ability is
thought to be used for communication
among lionfish or to attract prey in the dark
depths of the ocean.
Figure:1.9 lionfish
(https// www.google.com/img)

15. Future
• Lionfish densities could continue to increase unless population
growth is checked by interspecific or intraspecific competition expressed
as limited reef space or food resources.
• Lionfish competition with native species could hamper stock rebuilding
efforts for the Snapper-Grouper Complex of the Southeast U.S.A.

16. Reference
• Maggioni, R., Rocha, R. S., Viana, J. T., Giarrizzo, T., Rabelo, E. F.,
Ferreira, C. E., … & Soares, M. O. (2023). Genetic diversity patterns of
lionfish in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean reveal a rapidly expanding
stepping-stone bioinvasion process. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 13469.
•Morris, J. A., & Akins, J. L. (2009). Feeding ecology of invasive
lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Bahamian archipelago. Environmental
Biology of Fishes, 86, 389-398.
• Morris, J. A. (Ed.). (2012). Invasive lionfish: a guide to control and
management. Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute.