Treasures of the Red Sea - the Lion Fish
calendar_monthAugust 01, 2020
Treasures of the Red Sea - the Lion Fish
It is another iconic Red Sea species, there are several species of lion fish found in the Red Sea, but by far the most frequently spotted is the common lion fish (Pterois miles), sometimes called the turkey fish.
Can be considered as one of the most beautiful ugly fish found on Red Sea reefs, their dorsal spines are highly venomous, extremely painful, and have - on very rare occasions - proven fatal to unwary humans.
By day they are languid swimmers, often found sitting near motionless on blocks of coral, but will dip their heads and display their spines towards divers that approach too closely. By night, they are a different animal; voracious hunters flitting around the reef at lightning speed. The lionfish will follow divers' light following the beam of their torches, and any unwary small fish caught in the light will be devoured in an instant.
