Red Lionfish
Alternative names: Featherfins, Ornate Butterfly-cod, Peacock Lionfish, Red Firefish, Scorpion-cod, Scorpion Volitans, Turkeyfish
The red lionfish can be found in the Indo-West Pacific region, living in areas starting from Cocos-Keeling, the Marquesas, and the Christmas Islands to the Pitcairn group in French Polynesia, Lord Howe Island, northern New Zealand, and the Austral Islands, and continuing from Australia north to southern Japan and southern Korea. It prefers depths of maximum 50 meters and is typically reef-associated.
These fish are clad in white stripes alternated with red, maroon or brown stripes and can grow as large as 47 centimeters. The large spines that protrude from its body are venomous and the fish is therefore inedible and deter most predators. Their venom is not usually fatal to humans, but immediate medical attention is highly recommended.