Lionfish (Pterois volitans) go by a variety of names, including turkey fish, dragon fish and scorpion fish. They are members of the Scorpaenidae family. They can be found in the reefs and rocky crevices of the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, along the eastern coast of the U.S. from Florida to North Carolina, throughout the Bahamas and northern Caribbean, and have been sighted as far south as Nicaragua and as far east as the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Fish of the genus Pterois have a pair of pectoral fins that are fan-shaped and a spiky first dorsal fin. The fins look much like a lion's mane, which is one reason they are called Lionfish, their common name.These fish are venomous. The venom is delivered via an array of up to 18 needle-like dorsal fins. The fins are used for defensive purposes. The shape and coloring of its body provide it excellent camouflage. It relies on camouflage and lightning-fast reflexes to capture prey, mainly fish and shrimp. A sting from a lionfish, rarely fatal, is extremely painful to humans and can cause nausea and breathing difficulties.

The largest of lionfish can grow to about 15 inches in length, but the average is closer to 1 foot. Lifespan in the wild is about 15 years.

One of the main distinctions between Pterois volitans and all other family members of the Scorpaenidae is that the Pterois volitans has 13 dorsal spines while all the others have 12 or less.

Adult lionfish generally seek companionship during breeding. Juvenile lionfish will live together in groups. Lionfish are territorial and will violently defend their territory against any other lionfish, male or female. As they fight, they use their venomous dorsal spines to sting each other. For this reason it is not a good idea to keep adult lionfish together in the same aquarium.

The Lionfish are mainly a nocturnal animal and spend the day hiding in ledges, caves, crevices and other hollows. They leave their shelters at sunset to look for food, which includes small fishes, shrimps and crabs.

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