Scientific name : Pterois volitans
Family : Scorpaenidae (scorpionfish, rockfish, stonefish… 231 species)
Size : Up to 40 cm
Distribution : Tropical Pacific. Invasive in the Caribbean
Biology : The red lionfish, feeds on small fish and shrimps. The spines on its dorsal fin can inject a venom that causes extreme pain. However, this sting is only used for defensive purposes.
It has a bad reputation. Introduced to the Caribbean by mistake, it consumes too many small fish and disrupts the ecosystem.
IUCN status : Least concern