Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish Research Articles

Ecological interactions between Gulf of Mexico snappers (Teleostei: Lutjanidae) and invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans).

Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) have invaded the western Atlantic, and most recently the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM), at a rapid pace. Given their generalist habitat affinities and diet, and strong ecological overlap with members of the commercially valuable snapper-grouper complex, increased density and abundance of lionfish could result in significant competitive interactions with nGOM commercially important species. We experimentally investigated the intensity of behavioral interactions between lionfish and indigenous, abundant and economically important juvenile nGOM red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), and other increasingly abundant juvenile tropical snapper species (gray snapper—L. griseus and lane snapper—L. synagris) in large outdoor mesocosms to examine snapper vulnerabilities to lionfish competition. When paired with lionfish, red snapper swimming activity (i.e., time swimming and roving around experimental tank or at structure habitat during experiments) was significantly lower than in intraspecific control trials, but gray and lane snapper swimming activities in the presence of lionfish did not significantly differ from their intraspecific controls. Additionally in paired trials, red and lane snapper swimming activities were significantly lower than those of lionfish, while no significant difference in swimming activities was observed between lionfish and gray snapper. We found that red snapper prey consumption rates in the presence of lionfish were significantly lower than in their intraspecific 3-individual control trials, but when paired together no significant differences in prey consumption rates between red snapper and lionfish were observed. When paired with lane or gray snapper, lionfish were observed having comparatively higher prey consumption than snappers, or as observed in lionfish intraspecific 1-individual controls. However, lane and gray snapper consumption rates in the presence of lionfish did not significantly differ from those in intraspecific controls. These findings suggest that competition between juvenile snappers and invasive lionfish may be variable, with lionfish exhibiting differing degrees of competitive dominance and snappers exhibiting partial competitive vulnerability and resistance to lionfish. While the degree of intensity at which these interactions may occur in nGOM reefs may differ from those observed in our findings, this study enables greater understanding of the potential ecological effects of red lionfish on native reef fishes.

Simulations indicate that scores of lionfish (Pterois volitans) colonized the Atlantic Ocean.

The invasion of the western Atlantic Ocean by the Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) has had devastating consequences for marine ecosystems. Estimating the number of colonizing lionfish can be useful in identifying the introduction pathway and can inform policy decisions aimed at preventing similar invasions. It is well-established that at least ten lionfish were initially introduced. However, that estimate has not faced probabilistic scrutiny and is based solely on the number of haplotypes in the maternally-inherited mitochondrial control region. To rigorously estimate the number of lionfish that were introduced, we used a forward-time, Wright-Fisher, population genetic model in concert with a demographic, life-history model to simulate the invasion across a range of source population sizes and colonizing population fecundities. Assuming a balanced sex ratio and no Allee effects, the simulations indicate that the Atlantic population was founded by 118 (54–514, 95% HPD) lionfish from the Indo-Pacific, the Caribbean by 84 (22–328, 95% HPD) lionfish from the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico by at least 114 (no upper bound on 95% HPD) lionfish from the Caribbean. Increasing the size, and therefore diversity, of the Indo-Pacific source population and fecundity of the founding population caused the number of colonists to decrease, but with rapidly diminishing returns. When the simulation was parameterized to minimize the number of colonists (high θ and relative fecundity), 96 (48–216, 95% HPD) colonists were most likely. In a more realistic scenario with Allee effects (e.g., 50% reduction in fecundity) plaguing the colonists, the most likely number of lionfish increased to 272 (106–950, 95% HPD). These results, in combination with other published data, support the hypothesis that lionfish were introduced to the Atlantic via the aquarium trade, rather than shipping. When building the model employed here, we made assumptions that minimize the number of colonists, such as the lionfish being introduced in a single event. While we conservatively modelled the introduction pathway as a single release of lionfish in one location, it is more likely that a combination of smaller and larger releases from a variety of aquarium trade stakeholders occurred near Miami, Florida, which could have led to even larger numbers of colonists than simulated here. Efforts to prevent future invasions via the aquarium trade should focus on the education of stakeholders and the prohibition of release, with adequate rewards for compliance and penalties for violations.

DNA barcoding significantly improves resolution of invasive lionfish diet in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) have become well-established residents within reef communities across the western Atlantic Ocean where they pose substantial threats to native fish communities and reef ecosystems. Species-specific identification of prey is necessary to elucidate predator–prey interactions, but can be challenging with traditional visual identification methods given prey are often highly digested, thus not identifiable visually. To supplement visual diet analysis of lionfish (n = 934) sampled in the northern Gulf of Mexico, we applied DNA barcoding to identify otherwise unidentifiable fish prey (n = 696) via amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of the mitochondrial genome. Barcoding nearly doubled the number of identifiable fish prey, thereby greatly enhancing our ability to describe lionfish diet. Thirty-three fish prey species were identified via barcoding, twenty-four of which were not previously detected by traditional methods. Some exploited reef fishes were newly reported (e.g., red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus) or found to constitute higher proportions of lionfish diet than previously reported (e.g., vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens). Barcoding added a significant amount of new dietary information, and we observed the highest prey diversity reported to date for invasive lionfish. Potential cannibalism on juveniles also was identified via DNA barcoding, with the highest incidence corresponding to high lionfish densities, thus suggesting density-dependent prey demand may have driven this response. Overall, DNA barcoding greatly enhanced our ability to describe invasive lionfish diet in this study, suggesting that even studies with relatively large diet sample sizes could benefit from barcoding analysis.

Effectiveness of removals of the invasive lionfish: how many dives are needed to deplete a reef?

Introduced Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) have spread throughout the greater Caribbean and are associated with a number of negative impacts on reef ecosystems. Human interventions, in the form of culling activities, are becoming common to reduce their numbers and mitigate the negative effects associated with the invasion. However, marine managers must often decide how to best allocate limited resources. Previous work has identified the population size thresholds needed to limit the negative impacts of lionfish. Here we develop a framework that allows managers to predict the removal effort required to achieve specific targets (represented as the percent of lionfish remaining on the reef). We found an important trade-off between time spent removing and achieving an increasingly smaller lionfish density. The model used in our suggested framework requires relatively little data to parameterize, allowing its use with already existing data, permitting managers to tailor their culling strategy to maximize efficiency and rate of success.

Possible Ballast Water Transfer of Lionfish to the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish was first reported off the Florida coast in 1985, following which it has spread across much of the SE USA, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Lionfish negatively impact fish and invertebrate assemblages and abundances, thus further spread is cause for concern. To date, the fish has not been reported on the Pacific coast of North or Central America. Here we examine the possibility of ballast water transfer of lionfish from colonized areas in the Atlantic Ocean to USA ports on the Pacific coast. Over an eight-year period, we documented 27 commercial vessel-trips in which ballast water was loaded in colonized sites and later discharged untreated into Pacific coast ports in the USA. California had the highest number of discharges including San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles-Long Beach. A species distribution model suggests that the probability of lionfish establishment is low for the western USA, Colombia and Panama, low to medium for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, medium to high for mainland Ecuador, and very high for western Mexico, Peru and the Galapagos Islands. Given the species’ intolerance of freshwater conditions, we propose that ballast water exchange be conducted in Gatún Lake, Panama for western-bound vessels carrying ‘risky’ ballast water to prevent invasion of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Invasive lionfish increase activity and foraging movements at greater local densities

Density-dependent changes in predator foraging behavior due to intraspecific com- petition for food can have important implications for population dynamics of both the predator and its prey. The Indo-Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive predatory reef fish that has reached high population densities and can cause large reductions in small native fishes. To deter- mine whether lionfish behavior or movement varies with local lionfish and/or prey densities, I con- ducted observations of lionfish on 16 coral patch reefs in The Bahamas. Lionfish foraging activity and movement varied significantly with lionfish density. At higher densities, lionfish exhibited greater activity levels, time away from shelter, and more short-term foraging movements between coral patch reefs and surrounding seagrass habitats. However, these changes were not uniform throughout the day, with differences in activity occurring only at dusk and differences in move- ment occurring at both dawn and dusk, but not midday. Although some lionfish foraging behav- iors varied with prey density, overall lionfish density was more strongly related to differences in lionfish activity patterns. These temporal and spatial changes in lionfish foraging behaviors are consistent with the predicted effects of intraspecific competition and may have important conse- quences for lionfish removal efforts and native prey populations. Specifically, in areas with higher lionfish densities, prey fishes that are more active at dusk and/or inhabit seagrass beds near coral patch reefs may be more vulnerable to lionfish predation. By culling lionfish, managers may reduce the local foraging movements of lionfish and thus help maintain native fish communities in multiple habitats.

O&A: Fish Talk with Kristen Dahl

FisheriesVolume 40, Issue 4 p. 152-154 Interview O&A: Fish Talk with Kristen Dahl Correction(s) for this article Correction Volume 40Issue 5Fisheries pages: 237-237 First Published online: May 21, 2015 Sarah Harrison, Sarah Harrison AFS Contributing Editor [email protected] Kristen Dahl is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Alabama. She is conducting research on the invasive Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish Pterois volitans at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab under the direction of Will Patterson.Search for more papers by this author Sarah Harrison, Sarah Harrison AFS Contributing Editor [email protected] Kristen Dahl is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Alabama. She is conducting research on the invasive Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish Pterois volitans at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab under the direction of Will Patterson.Search for more papers by this author First published: 15 April 2015 https://doi.org/10.1080/03632415.2015.1027161Citations: 1 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume40, Issue4April 2015Pages 152-154 RelatedInformation

Habitat-specific density and diet of rapidly expanding invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans, populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish, Pterois volitans, were first reported in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in summer 2010. To examine potential impacts on native reef fish communities, lionfish density and size distributions were estimated from fall 2010 to fall 2013 with a remotely operated vehicle at natural (n = 16) and artificial (n = 22) reef sites. Lionfish (n = 934) also were sampled via spearfishing to examine effects of habitat type, season, and fish size on their diet and trophic ecology. There was an exponential increase in lionfish density at both natural and artificial reefs over the study period. By fall 2013, mean lionfish density at artificial reefs (14.7 fish 100 m−2) was two orders of magnitude higher than at natural reefs (0.49 fish 100 m−2), and already was among the highest reported in the western Atlantic. Lionfish diet was significantly different among habitats, seasons, and size classes, with smaller (<250 mm total length) fish consuming more benthic invertebrates and the diet of lionfish sampled from artificial reefs being composed predominantly of non-reef associated prey. The ontogenetic shift in lionfish feeding ecology was consistent with δ15N values of white muscle tissue that were positively related to total length. Overall, diet results indicate lionfish are generalist mesopredators in the nGOM that become more piscivorous at larger size. However, lionfish diet was much more varied at artificial reef sites where they clearly were foraging on open substrates away from reef structure. These results have important implications for tracking the lionfish invasion in the nGOM, as well as estimating potential direct and indirect impacts on native reef fish communities in this region.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758] and P. miles [Bennett, 1828]) records within mesophotic depth ranges on natural banks in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

The Indo-Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) and devil firefish Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) invasions through the western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico are reasonably well documented. While lionfish have been reported on multiple natural and artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, this study notes their presence at previously undocumented mesophotic habitats and depths surrounding natural banks in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Low susceptibility of invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans) to a generalist ectoparasite in both its introduced and native ranges.

Escape from parasites in their native range is one of many mechanisms that can contribute to the success of an invasive species. Gnathiid isopods are blood-feeding ectoparasites that infest a wide range of fish hosts, mostly in coral reef habitats. They are ecologically similar to terrestrial ticks, with the ability to transmit blood-borne parasites and cause damage or even death to heavily infected hosts. Therefore, being highly resistant or highly susceptible to gnathiids can have significant fitness consequences for reef-associated fishes. Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) have invaded coastal habitats of the western tropical and subtropical Atlantic and Caribbean regions. We assessed the susceptibility of red lionfish to parasitic gnathiid isopods in both their native Pacific and introduced Atlantic ranges via experimental field studies during which lionfish and other, ecologically-similar reef fishes were caged and exposed to gnathiid infestation on shallow coral reefs. Lionfish in both ranges had very few gnathiids when compared with other species, suggesting that lionfish are not highly susceptible to infestation by generalist ectoparasitic gnathiids. While this pattern implies that release from gnathiid infestation is unlikely to contribute to the success of lionfish as invaders, it does suggest that in environments with high gnathiid densities, lionfish may have an advantage over species that are more susceptible to gnathiids. Also, because lionfish are not completely resistant to gnathiids, our results suggest that lionfish could possibly have transported blood parasites between their native Pacific and invaded Atlantic ranges.

Habitat use patterns of the invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans : a comparison between mangrove and reef systems in San Salvador, Bahamas

The Indo-Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans is widespread both in its native and its non-native habitats. The rapid invasion of this top predator has had a marked negative effect on fish populations in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is now well documented that lionfish are invading many tropical and sub-tropical habitats. However, there are fewer data available on the change in lionfish abundance over time and the variation of body size and diet across habitats. A recent study in San Salvador, Bahamas, found body size differences between individuals from mangrove and reef systems. That study further suggested that ontogenetic investigation of habitat use patterns could help clarify whether lionfish are using the mangrove areas of San Salvador as nurseries. The aim of the present study is to determine temporal trends in lionfish relative abundance in mangrove and reef systems in San Salvador, and to further assess whether there is evidence suggesting an ontogenetic shift from mangroves to reef areas. Accordingly, we collected lionfish from mangrove and reef habitats and calculated catch per unit effort (a proxy for relative abundance), compared body size distributions across these two systems, and employed a combination of stable isotope, stomach content, and genetic analyses of prey, to evaluate differences in lionfish trophic interactions and habitat use patterns. Our results show that populations may have increased in San Salvador during the last 4 years, and that there is a strong similarity in body size between habitats, stark differences in prey items, and no apparent overlap in the use of habitat and/or food resources. These results suggest that there is not evidence an for ontogenetic shift from mangroves to reefs, and support other studies that propose lionfish are opportunistic forages with little movement across habitats.

Multiscale system dynamics of humans and nature in The Bahamas: perturbation, knowledge, panarchy and resilience

The analysis of the dynamic interactions between social systems, integrated by governance and communication, and biophysical systems, connected by material and energy flows, remains a challenge. In this paper, we draw on the heuristic models of the “adaptive renewal cycle” and “panarchy” [Gunderson and Holling (eds) Panarchy: understanding transformations in human and natural systems. Island Press, Washington, 2002], which are embedded in the theory of complex adaptive systems. Taking island development research in The Bahamas as a case study, we investigate environmental stressors, knowledge and social response in the context of three distinct social–ecological subsystems: (1) the interaction between tropical storms/hurricanes and the social system of disaster preparedness/management; (2) coastal ecosystem degradation coupled with land development; and (3) the fishery, in which we also consider the impact of a recent biological invasion, the Indo-Pacific red lionfish. The findings demonstrate the complexity of panarchical relations and the crucial role of diverse and uncertain knowledge systems and underlying mental models of risk and environment for resilience and sustainability. These are acquired at different scales and form key variables of change. This also applies to processes of communication. Bringing together the various constantly evolving multi-level knowledge systems for effective communication and decision-making remains a major challenge.

Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758), on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea

We report the presence of the invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) in 23 localities of the Venezuelan coast, southeastern Caribbean Sea. This finding is based on ten specimens collected at Parque Nacional Archipielago de Los Roques (PNAR, Dependencias Federales), Playa Cal, Caraballeda and Puerto Carayaca (Estado Vargas) and 30 specimens observed in 18 localities of PNAR, Parque Nacional Morrocoy (Estado Falcon), Bahia de Cata, Ensenada de Cepe (Estado Aragua), Puerto Cruz, Chichiriviche de La Costa, Mamo, Catia La Mar, La Guaira, Macuto, Caraballeda (Estado Vargas) and Farallon Centinela (Dependencias Federales). The specimens were collected and observed from November 2009 to June 2010. This is the first published report documenting their occurrence in Venezuela.

First record of the Indo-Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) for the Dominican Republic

A new record of the Indo-Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) (Osteichthyes: Scorpaenidae) is reported for the Dominican Republic, observed in the National Submarine Park of Monte Cristi on May 24, 2008. This is the first official reported record of this species for the Dominican marine area. Preliminary data are provided for the invasion and future work.