Wilderness Portraits by Lloyd Paul Aiello

Fire Lionfish of Ras Mohammed in the Red Sea

A foot-long fire lionfish (Pterois radiata) glides over a colorful reef encrusted with corals, sponges and bryozoans 45 feet below the surface of the Red Sea at Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. The fire lionfish is a deceptively passive predator with 11 dorsal spines each capable of delivering an extremely toxic venom. Although they rarely attack humans, a wound caused by these spines can result in excruciating pain and shock. Lionfish, due to their potentially lethal defense, demonstrate indifference to all predatory species including man. They are known to hunt primarily at dusk, blending effectively with their surroundings where they slowly approach small fish and other prey which are then aggressively devoured.

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Filename: P-000166-fire-lionfish-red-sea.tif
Image Size: 7217x4842 / 172.6MB; www.WildernessPortraits.com; Country Egypt Indian Ocean Red Sea Sinai animals aquatic bryozoan color colorful coral descriptors fish format gold green horizontal identification lionfish master ocean/sea orange places red reef salt water season sponge summer tunicate type underwater view water white yellow
Contained in galleries: Recent Additions, Favorite Wilderness Portraits Images, Red Sea, Underwater, Wildlife

A foot-long fire lionfish (Pterois radiata) glides over a colorful reef encrusted with corals, sponges and bryozoans 45 feet below the surface of the Red Sea at Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. The fire lionfish is a deceptively passive predator with 11 dorsal spines each capable of delivering an extremely toxic venom. Although they rarely attack humans, a wound caused by these spines can result in excruciating pain and shock. Lionfish, due to their potentially lethal defense, demonstrate indifference to all predatory species including man. They are known to hunt primarily at dusk, blending effectively with their surroundings where they slowly approach small fish and other prey which are then aggressively devoured.