From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A lionfish is any of several species of venomous marine fish in the genera Pterois or Dendrochirus, family Scorpaenidae. They are notable for their extremely long and separated spines, and have a generally striped appearance, red, brown, or black on white. While they are available for home aquaria, the venom of the spines is extremely painful, and lionfish are only recommended for the advanced (and careful!) aquarist.
Species called "lionfish":
- Red lionfish Pterois volitans (also peacock lionfish)
- Hawaiian lionfish Dendrochirus barberi
- Plaintail turkeyfish Pterois russelii
- Broadbarred firefish Pterois antennata (banded lionfish, spotfin lionfish)
- Radial firefish Pterois radiata (clearfin lionfish, tailbar lionfish, whitefin lionfish)
- Twospot turkeyfish Dendrochirus biocellatus (twinspot lionfish)
- Shortfin turkeyfish Dendrochirus brachypterus (shortfin lionfish)
- Zebra turkeyfish Dendrochirus zebra (dwarf lionfish, zebra lionfish)
