Red Lionfish

The red lionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific region where it is widely distributed among coral and rock reefs and other tropical inshore habitats. It has been introduced into the western Atlantic and can now be found in coastal waters from New York to South Florida, as well as in Bermuda, the Bahamas and parts of the Caribbean. This introduction is causing significant changes to the reef environments because the lionfish is preying on and displacing native fishes.