Pterois

Pterois
Pterois volitans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Tribe: Pteroini
Genus: Pterois
Oken, 1817
Type species
Scorpaena volitans
Bloch, 1787
Synonyms
  • Macrochirus Swainson, 1839
  • Pseudomonopterus Bleeker, 1863
  • Pteroleptus Swainson, 1839
  • Pteropterus Swainson, 1839

Pterois, also known as lionfish, is a genus of venomous marine fish. They are found mostly in the Indo-Pacific.

Pterois is characterized by warning coloration with red, white, creamy, or black bands, showy pectoral fins and venomous spiky fin rays. Pterois are classified into a number of different species, but Pterois radiata, Pterois volitans and Pterois miles are the most commonly studied. Pterois are popular aquarium fish and are readily used for cooking.

Pterois are about 2.44in (6.2cm) to 16.69in (42.4 cm) with typical adults measuring 14.96in (37.9 cm) . They weigh an average of 1.05 lbs (0.47 kg).

References

  1. 1 2 Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Scorpaenidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Gilbert Whitley (1939). "Ichthyological genotypes: Desmarest's designations, 1874". Australian Zoologist. 9 (3): 222–226.
  3. 1 2 National Geographic (11 April 2010). "Lionfish". Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Whitfield P.E. et al 2006. Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions. 9(1):53–64.