Lionfish question...

[supergaijin]

@RobinT. I believe those three pictures are probably of the same species- either P.miles or volitans. They're difficult to differentiate between. The top is a juvenile but as they age they become more like the bottom pics.

@BrewingDiver- IMO again this is the same species. The shot is taken from further away and looks darker. Some juveniles are jet black, others reddish and some are almost 'translucent'.

Here is one individual that I have been taking pictures of for the last year or so. He hangs out on the same bit of reef so he's easy to find. The pics were taken maybe 6 months apart but you can see the colour change from jet-black to become more reddish. Give me another year or two and we'll see what it changes in to.


This is another individual I found for the first time a few months ago. He's growing really quickly and is changing colours as it grows larger. The first time I found it, it was about 4 inches across. Now it's about 7 inches:


Finally this guy. All are the same species from what I can tell:


I'm not 100% but this may well be the same- either miles or volitans:


I'm trying to visit them every few days and see what they're up to. I get the feeling that they don't like my camera shoved in their faces all the time. A response to this stress (I think) is the yawning reflex.

 

[mstevens]

Yes, there are 2 species of lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles. P. Volitans is the red lionfish.

Just because 2 species exist does not mean that both are present in Cozumel, which was the original question.

 

[tracydr]

I never noticed those blue dots before. Spectacular pictures!

 

[sharky60]

Yes, there are 2 species of lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles. P. Volitans is the red lionfish.

on Cozumel, or just in general

 

[Nick A]

Not sure about Cozumel specifically, however both species have been identified in the Gulf of Mexico. P. volitans is the most common, P. miles only makes up a small percentage of the population. P. miles has fewer dorsal spines, 10 compared to volitans 13, and they don't have as many spikes on their "cheeks".

---------- Post added July 13th, 2013 at 08:47 PM ----------

Just because 2 species exist does not mean that both are present in Cozumel, which was the original question.

No it doesn't and I agree,but if both species have been identified in the Gulf, then there's a chance it could be. However small that chance may be, it's possible

 

[ccannon707]

New article I saw today - they are going deeper!

Big Lionfish Found at Disturbing Depths

 

[ggunn]

New article I saw today - they are going deeper!

Big Lionfish Found at Disturbing Depths

I have heard the same thing from tech divers diving deep around Cozumel.

 

[OnTheSpot]

I'm not 100% but this may well be the same- either miles or volitans:
View attachment 159752

This looks very much like Pterois antennata

 

[robint]

The lionfish we saw in Palau had the blue spots:

you can see that they are more red also... and they were not as big as the ones we saw (pictures I posted earlier in this thread) in Cozumel or Roatan.

these TWO photos are from PALAU, not the Caribbean.


robin

 

[Brules]

10 dives last week and only saw 2 LF........they must be going somewhere......