lionfish: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	turkey fish • lion fish • fire-fish • Pterois

Photos

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) with long, striped spines swims among coral in a vibrant reef environment.

Illustrations of twelve Scorpaeniformes fish species, each labeled with common and scientific names, display a variety of body shapes, fin structures, and coloration patterns for comparison.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans).

Illustration comparing the venom apparatus of three scorpaeniform fishes: a lionfish (Pterois) with a shallow channel and venom gland, a stonefish (Synanceja) with a venom duct and gland, and a scorpion fish (Scorpaena) with a shallow channel and venom gland, each labeled with anatomical features.

See All Images →

Topics

red lionfish Miles’ firefish tigerfish scorpionfish zebra fish piranha

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz