The Volitans Lionfish is also called the Red Lionfish which is confusing since most Lionfish are red and white striped and,
moreover, the Volitans has brown and even black (above left) variants. It has a squashed, bulldog-like face and looks grumpy. Its
pectoral fin rays are shaped like blades rather than the extended white wires of the Spotfin/Raggedfin Lionfish.
One of several venomous lionfish species, it is native to tropical lagoons and reefs in the Indian and western
Pacific Oceans.
One of the largest lionfish, it can grow to over 40cm long.
It is also an invasive species in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, where it is exacerbating a decline in
native fish stocks, both of competing predators (groupers, snappers) and of smaller prey. It has few predators to control its own
population growth outside of its native range.
It looks identical to the Common Lionfish, also called the Devil Firefish, Pterois miles,
which also can be red, brown or grey; they say individual fish of one species can look more different than between the two species.
Its spines are highly venomous to predators and humans.
Spotless rear fins.
Grumpy.
Juveniles (and some adults) have antennae.